The Monkey King Takes His Queen
by JeffC FTW
Summary: Widowed and raising her daughter alone, Kim Stoppable has retired from saving the world. But when an ancient mystical weapon is in desperate need of protection, she comes out of her retirement to ensure its safety - only to be reunited with a certain monkey man and archaeologist who becomes part of the epic adventure as well as her life.
1. Prologue: Wrath of the Monkey

**Now I bring you the extended sequel to "The Deadly Embrace of Desire" and "The Garden of Serenity". Ten years have passed since "Oh, No! Yono!" and life has gone on when Monkey Fist was condemned to be the Yono's guardian - or he's Yono now, but who knows for sure since we never see him again after "Graduation". Without spoiling in the beginning right now, this becomes an epic tale of love, adventure, magic and all things deep and emotional - there's actually more to come. :) Kim and Monty Fiske (yes, he returns) go through a spiritual, mental, emotional and physical journey not only when they face off the Yono together with the help of friends - but with each other. You're in for a hell of a ride.**

 **Here in the prologue, you are in for his POV after Kim leaves him at the end of "The Deadly Embrace of Desire" - after that, it gets pretty disturbing, so you've been warned.**

 **Disclaimer: nothing belongs to me. I also do not own the information of the location of Mount Kilimanjaro which you see first thing.**

Prologue

Wrath of the Monkey

Africa was one of the most notable countries for his tastes, and he could have found suitable ancient monkey relics for himself only to be disappointed when he found none such thus far, not even in Tanzania - or precisely Mount Kilimanjaro, where he was directed to the base where allegedly it would be struck rarely by lightning and produce the rarest, exquisite gems to sell for fine jewelry.

Ironic how the first recorded ascent to the very top was in 1889, therefore becoming one of the major park attractions in the world. In addition, its glaciers were perfect for scientific reasons, but that was not why he was here as stated previously. Monty Fiske had assumed an ancient simian temple would be within the ranges of the great mountain - or within any of its three cones - but false leads led to disappointment. He and his monkey ninjas had come here for nothing.

Or maybe not.

When he decided a visit to the small town nearby was in order, maybe this trip couldn't be wasted after all as his attention fell to the collection of styles of tanzanite jewelry. He could hardly ignore the color nearly matching his own eyes, nor could he ever find himself avoiding a certain young redhead who bested him yet again only weeks ago in front of her school. He had been so close to getting the Monkey King's Amulet from her, and she had the power, almost to full monkey - but damn her!

Fiske studied the various collection of rings, hoping it would at least take his mind off Kim Possible, but found he could not. The first one to grab his attention was typical with diamonds around the row of five violet-blues; next to it was another of the gems in a starburst fashion. As well, one depicted royalty with the great purple amethyst in a thick golden band, two tanzanite on either side. This looked like it could be lusted for by any queen in the world - but a ring held no great interest to him as a necklace would.

He almost gasped when he beheld the sight of one charm in particular. Elemental danger - that was what this one spoke of. Lightning and water; tanzanite was struck by the former, and the latter element produced the darker toned iolite which lapped around the center of attention. Not one element was without the other...as a monkey king could never be without his queen.

Monty blinked as the thought rose unbidden in his mind. He had no idea where the decision came from, nor did he feel utterly repulsed - entirely - as to who the obvious lady was. Kim Possible defeated him, humiliated him, but even before those times, he had witnessed what the world knew about her on the television and the newspapers, even the Internet. She was a young lady barely reaching womanhood, but in her mannerisms and her ferocity, she was already a woman and that did not stop him there.

He had confessed to himself that he had...dreams about the young Miss Possible even after her buffoon friend had him tried and locked briefly away before he was released after his supposed "insanity". Bates had taken him back in, but it was like his fortune in obtaining the Mystical Monkey Power had been lost...until the next ancient relic had come to his home much later, having thought to be lost until it was recovered and brought straight to him. After that was the recruiting of his monkey ninjas. Animals were not easy to train, but it was worth it. So many tries to reach his destiny only to be stopped by Team Possible.

This time just about did it when he tried to get the Amulet of the Monkey King.

Monkey Fist recalled how she appeared in her "monkiosity" - the term Bates used when he beheld the last of the jade monkeys in sight the first time - and almost relished his time to take that from her. The auburn hair wild as fire as she was inside - as he was to get what she took from him - but her face was changing to monkey. Stunning...that was the word to describe, and he allowed himself to be transfixed by her perfection. It made his blood boil, both with rage and with...passion. Not only was it the kind of passion he thrived on for his destiny.

He actually _lusted_ for Kim Possible.

Growling in his teeth and reclining in the seat of the rented car as he allowed the monkeys to drive them to the charted jet for home, he was tempted to slam his fist into the window as a relief, but he didn't want to end up paying for the damages. Why was he thinking this? She was only a child in the eyes of the law, but to him? She was a mature woman, whether she looked like one or not. She was wild at heart, even if she refused to become a part of his world. And that was why he decided that no matter what, he could never get rid of her. There was that old saying: _keep your friends close, keep your enemies closer._

"That is it, then," he mused aloud, finding himself staring at the back of his hands in his lap, purely out of habit. "She should be my Monkey Queen."

He made the decision to get this necklace in front of him, making the decision to get this elemental charm for her if it would begin to draw her, aid in his proposition of her. He needed to think about how to get her to him, and there was one sure way to be secrecy. Knowing she had connections, he would send the message to her that she and only she would receive. When the deed was done, he waited within the confides of his ancestral home until she came. When he got the notice that she was coming, he had to prepare for her arrival and clutched the necklace close to him until the lady herself arrived...and dressed seductively and innocently in white, shoulders bare and hair flying away. He did his best to not lick his lips at the sight. She was ready to fight him; try she would, but she would not be able to resist him then.

And she hadn't. He could not afford to wait anymore as he broke down her barriers, trapped her in his room and when the night fell upon them, the fire before the bed lit. She was his, and he had been the one to take her innocence. She'd never been with a man, which made it that much more for him. She'd refused to become his queen, but of course he didn't get his hopes up. The fire...the excitement...flesh on flesh...it was everything.

But when he awoke, she was gone. The bed was still warm, with he still in it - but the other spot was creased where Kimberly had lain. And now it was empty, lingering with her scent and warmth. She had left him, and she left the necklace beside the bed for his eyes to find.

His dignity had been ruined just like that when she didn't leave him a note. Roaring furiously, Monkey Fist dominated Monty Fiske at the moment and slammed his fist onto the bed cushion before doing the same to his bedroom window - and nearly fell out the window before he'd grabbed the ledge and pulled himself back over the edge. He ignored the remaining glass shards on the floor but was still aware of their existence. His temper had exploded then and there - before reality returned and he forced himself to calm before going over to the table beside the window and pouring himself some brandy. Liquid fire burned his throat and reached his heart's chambers.

Monty knew why she had to leave behind what he had gone through beneath the world to get for her. She couldn't bring him back with her because he was not a part of her world and never would be. He would accept it - and that meant they would still be and always would be enemies.

Naked, Lord Monty Fiske set down his empty whiskey glass on the table beside the decanter and walked back around the bed, picked up the necklace by the clasp and dangled it from his forefinger and thumb, the stormy colors reflecting his own eyes - flashing with the storm festering within himself. The fire behind him warmed the back of his body, making his skin moisten.

No matter. He would see her again in time - and it wouldn't be so pleasant compared to tonight. Yet his body still yearned for hers.

"So be it, Kim Possible," he whispered menacingly, closing his eyes briefly before reopening them and dropping the necklace entirely into his other palm, closing his fingers around it. "So be it."

~o~

 _He felt nothing but darkness, confusion and terminal terror in every system of his body. He had no idea where he was now, but this was what he got now, and it set him off to no end when defeat was declared - and his fate was sealed._

 _He was trapped. Imprisoned, as a price paid for his foolishness._

 _He'd read the tale of the Yono, desired this power as he thought it would be what he always wanted. He thought he could use both the Yono the Destroyer and Han the Creator, to lead him to his destiny to be the Ultimate Monkey Master. He had fought long and hard, lived on desire - both in body even if that was one time, and in his dreams - but endless defeat after defeat. Now was the last one he would ever receive._

 _No...no..._

 _NO!_

 _He wanted so much to scream, to cry, but it would be futile. This was not supposed to happen. The Yono should let him go; he would scream and curse if he had to, and once he was away, he would never return here. He could move on with his life, maybe die helpless as there was nothing else for him..._

Foolish man. Arrogant human. Greedy scum - shall I go on with what to call you, Montgomery Fiske?

 _Darkness surrounded him, so there was no way to see through, nor could he move. He wanted to sob, show this weakness because it seemed there was no other option - but he didn't. Couldn't or didn't did not matter to use anymore._ Don't you dare use those words to label me, you demon! _he returned, earning a rumbling laugh that echoed and bounced around his eardrums._

You do not intimidate me, human. This is what your greed and selfishness brought you to. You thought you could take the easy way, never stopped to consider the possibilities of a price to be paid for a greater power. You thought you could use me and the Han, but in the end, your desires came back to give you your just desserts. This is your destiny now - and until the time comes for release, you shall serve me in this sea of torment.

 _Cold horror covered his senses - or did he actually have any left? - when he_ felt _the tail of the monkey god caress his face. He could not see, but Yono was here. He was here to serve and play his part; when the time came and another awoke the Yono, then he would be the one to pass the power onto the unfortunate soul who would endure what he would._ What do you want me to do?

Disrobe.

 _His heart had been alive if not beating as it used to; he would have imagined it stopped as soon as Yono gave him the first order. No...that could mean one thing. The deity repeated the order, this time rougher than before._ Do I have to make you? _he threatened, the tail hitting him across the face if not actually striking to leave a mark._

 _He swallowed and then found he could move his hands, as a start. But this was only for what was going to happen in this oblivion. He didn't see, only felt, as he found the sash tying his tunic together, opening the fabric and letting it fall around his feet. Then his trousers and undergarments were joining it - but then he no longer felt his fallen clothes around his ankles. Where had they gone?_

You do not need them any longer, _was all the Yono told him before he felt the tail again, having left his face and now returned, this time to snake over and sickeningly tease the left side surface of his buttocks. No one ever touched him like this before - except for_ her _, one time - so the sensations were strange and uncomfortable because it was a monkey tail. The tail of a god who was a_ monkey, _the one thing he strived to become the master of in vain._

 _The tail left his rear end and traveled down, caressing the backs of his legs and then up over his back, exploring his body when he could no longer see it. Only his tormentor could view and relish him. The path of the Yono...his path was to endure his desires slapped back at him. He did not know whether or not to call this karma or divine punishment - or if it's a terrible combination of both._

 _He shivered when his shoulders were ghosted over, his bare chest getting the same. The tip of the tail briefly pressed on his nipples until they were hard for the deity's satisfaction._ Word, _was the only response given for twisted enjoyment. He wished he could be put into deep sleep but knew it would not settle. His stomach trembled as it, too, was roamed over, before the ministrations stopped, and he was ordered to his knees._

Oh. _He was ashamed that the word had to escape his lips when he felt the tail slither further down between his legs. The Yono knew this was where he was most vulnerable as any other man. He chewed his lip fearfully, nearly drawing blood but wondered if he actually could in this time, as he felt the tail smooth the hair of his pubis before reaching the intimate length of flesh between his thighs. He felt so filthy, violated, but this was his fate as it was sealed now._

Oh, Monty, what HAVE you become?! _he moaned in eternal despair to himself as the ordeal went on far longer than he hoped..._

~o~

 _7 years later..._

It had been so many years since Lord Montgomery Fiske was declared dead to the world, missing for so long in his home country that it became clear he would never return. Seven years was long enough that it gave Bates closure but did not heal the lingering hole in his heart.

He'd been in service of the man he raised as a boy when his father had been distant, allowing every parental responsibility to be placed upon the valet's shoulders up to when Monty grew to manhood. He was never afraid of the younger Fiske, but when he became fixated on the jade monkeys of legend, he should have seen the warning signs and didn't come to the realization until it was too late. He was Monty's voice of reason, but the lord and respected archaeologist had to remind him of his place - it was like the man began to see him as a disposable servant instead of the man who remained loyal to him up until the very end.

Bates had to leave after Lord Fiske returned home after a second arrest in Middleton following a futile attempt to become the Ultimate Monkey Master at Dr. James Possible's research station. That time had gone too far; he had done everything he could to keep Monty's sanity in check even if it was too far down. He didn't want to abandon his master, but it had to be done.

He had gone back to downtown London where his son and his family were living, helping them run the bookstore that was once a part of Monty Fiske's life in younger years. He had been keeping in touch with his former master just to be on the safe side as he could never abandon him completely - but there had been certainties in later years when there was obviously incidents in other countries that he lost track of Fiske after the Middleton issues - only to hear no more word for seven more years to come that it was safe to assume Montgomery Fiske was dead.

But then the little monkey ninjas found him only days ago, after barely a decade. Bates never thought he would meet them again, and he had no idea why after so long, they would find him in his peaceful home. Today he had been visiting his former master's lawyer to speak of what had been left to him in the Last Will and Testament - and a substantial comfort it was - and then he had decided to go back and visit the Fiske castle after years, just to feel a small comfort close to home. The memories were so great that he was on the verge of leaving when the monkey ninjas confronted him, nearly giving him a heart attack.

He didn't know why they wanted him, but he didn't speak their language as Lord Fiske understood them. But then one of them came up to him in regardings of an ancient deity called the _Yono._ Apparently, his old collectibles and artifacts remained that his little minions had been looking at themselves. They must have found minds of their own to look through and devotedly searched for how to find their master and return him. They knew the whole story better than anyone else - and now Bates knew it, with Team Possible's involvement in his downfall as well as the price he paid for the Faustian pact with the devil that was the Yono.

"Oh, milord, you really have outdone it now," he'd moaned in despair, covering his face with his hands. It seemed now that he had to go to great lengths and join these monkeys back to Japan to retrieve their fallen leader.

The deed had not been easy, but they remembered the location and the area very well. Bates had been warned about the burial site being watched, but he might as well decide the risk could be worth it. As a boy, Monty had been like a son to him. His mother died giving birth to him, and his father didn't show any real love for his only son. That gave him determination to bring the man back even if it risked everything again - but he could do something to ensure Fiske didn't do anything against the world again. He would worry about the details later.

He helped the monkey ninjas dig with everything he had, risked bones getting weary...and then they found IT. "We've found him," Bates gasped as he beheld the petrified form of Montgomery Fiske - Monkey Fist now - and with such terror and power in the visage and the air about the statue.

The monkeys screeched and jumped up and down at the sight of their master recovered, but it was far from over. They had to get him home and fast. Bates had an old friend who could get the stoned man back unharmed. It took a few weeks, but the trip was worth it. By the time Bates and the monkey ninjas themselves arrived with their prize intact, now came the hardest part of all.

Spells and incantations were never Bates' specialties, but tonight he had no choice as a scroll was given to him that one of the monkeys - named Lili - found amongst the dusted texts. Several instructions were required as it had to be done when the next full moon was in orbit: incense, salt, sacred water and the written text which he voiced shakily but clearly.

 _"Gaia matre nobili et antiqua terrae qui frigidi recludere hunc unum reducat scelestis carcere animam..."_

 _Gaia, ancient and noble mother of the earth, bring back forth one who has been frozen; unseal this poor soul from his unholy prison..._

They took the frozen monkey man to the great garden courtyard of the castle, near the waterfall and fountain which provided a calm musical tune for the foreboding act about to be done. Open area was required; they had to hurry. Bates did the honors of lighting up the incense that had been placed about the frozen body of Monty Fiske to purify him, the strong herbal aroma reaching the former valet's nostrils as well as the surrounding monkey ninjas'. The salt was spread around as it was common in other cultural rituals to repel evil.

The petrified figure was doused all over with the water from an Asian temple that had been acquired several years before the Mystical Monkey Power madness, claimed to bear healing powers of some sort. When this was done, Bates heard his voice echo hollowly as he recited the incantation while the monkeys around him in the circle bowed their heads in prayer and raised their hands for absolute devotion like the disciples they were.

The moonlight above bathed Monkey Fist's stoned figure, and it was a painful eternity for Bates and the monkeys to wait for something to happen. The monkeys themselves were ooking amongst themselves as if wondering what they should do now, or if this would not work after all, and Bates was beginning to wonder the same for himself, if this had been an entirely waste after all...

...and then they all heard the _crack_ which brought their attentions to the statue, where the face itself was starting to come apart and let loose a strange glow of yellow light within.

The cracks spread throughout over the body, and the light became brighter - before it exploded before their eyes and sent them all to their knees, covering their eyes to protect them. Some seconds passed before Bates found it within himself to open his eyes again and see the light gone. The statue itself was gone - but in its place was none other than Lord Monty Fiske freed from his stone captivity.

"Milord!" Bates jumped to his feet and rushed to kneel before his master's side, the monkey ninjas screeching and joining him in a circle. Fiske lay on his stomach like a newborn struggling to move on its own, his naked body quivering uncontrollably, his hyperventilation audible and erratic. Bates was worried how the man would react if he tried to touch him in any way. He repeated softly, "Milord?"

Monty's shaking ceased only to restart again but in gentler motions, to let him know he'd heard. "B-Bates," he responded, recognizing his former valet's voice. He lifted his head in the other's direction, unable to raise his head entirely to look at him in the eyes. "Bates, where am I?"

"You're home," Bates answered, finally laying a hand on the man's naked shoulder, helping him to a kneeling position. "What happened to you?"

Fiske finally looked up at him. His eyes, once vivid with knowledge and pride, were watery with fragility. Whatever happened to him, it had affected him very much that Bates had the distinct feeling he might end his obsessive pursuit of the Mystical Monkey Power - unless he was wrong as he'd been proven before.

"Bates," Fiske said softly, bringing a hand - still covered with hair and mutated like a monkey - to grasp Bates' arm covered by his coat, "it was terrible..." His eyes lowered then, his head bowing as if ashamed of himself. "Terrible," he repeated, followed by a wracking of his form. "I'm so cold."

Bates shrugged off his coat and draped it over Monty's shoulders, looking up at the clearly worried monkey ninjas who did not know what to do at the present. They had to get him inside now where he was safe - but this was only just the beginning. Lord Fiske dealt with dark forces beyond comprehension, and now Bates knew he could not leave him alone this time.

 **I was influenced by so many of PengyChan's works as well as VampireNaomi, both being huge fans of Monkey Fist themselves. :) Several stories provided excellent insight into what went inside Fiske's head while he was petrified and walking the Yono's path included "Path of the Yono" and "Invincibility" by PengyChan, filled with so much angst that a part of you really DOES feel bad for him. Arrogant, greedy, foolish and other terms related were what the Yono used to call Monty Fiske because he never did measure the consequences of his lust for power.**

 **Another fic, incompleted, was "The Path of the Yono" by MaceEcam. Had originality to Monty Fiske's past as we explored him being in stone, different from PengyChan's story similarly titled - and with a dark angle with poor Monty being unfrozen only to...well, I wrote it. (sick face) But in that other story, it went no further than ending with the man undressing before the monkey god, just a cliffhanger there. Next chapter had stoned Monty rescued by DNAmy before another round could occur, enraging the monkey god. I had to take the bold direction of expanding it beyond that barrier. I'm sorry if I made anyone sick, but the idea was in my head for a long time after reading MaceEcam's story. I told them in a review that an idea like that was TOO damned good to be left hanging like that.**

 **My friend Blue Kitsune and I were talking about this via PM, and she was the one to tell me she didn't know if it was karma or divine punishment for Fiske, which eventually worked its way in as you saw. :) Because he went through his own desire to get what he wanted, and look what it got him in return. And thanks to her for helping me out with the ritual that takes place. The ideas came from a favorite show of hers, "The Jackie Chan Adventures", primarily the** _ **Yu Mo Gui Gwai Fai Di Zao**_ **of Chi magic, as well as the salt idea from "Supernatural" (which my boyfriend also loves). Other ideas like incense and holy water are common, as mentioned.**

 **I'd also read "Monkey Around" by yet to come, which also was not continued. It had the monkey ninjas seeking help to retrieve their petrified master, but it wasn't Bates. I had thought Bates was perfect as he will be vital to this story to come. As well, this ending had ultimately become AU to when we last saw frozen Monty in the "Graduation" episode when DNAmy retrieved him; I just could not let that happen in here. Also, Monty returning the way he did was based off of the way Angel returned at the end of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer season 3 episode "Faith, Hope and Trick".**

 **I love reviews, but no flames please. Appreciated. :D**


	2. Night Horrors

**I forgot to mention in the last chapter that the scene between Monty and the Yono was inspired by one certain scene in "Rosemary's Baby" starring Mia Farrow (if anyone has seen that movie, you know which one I am talking about) and it was definitely disturbing, shot dreamily and distortedly that you wonder if it's really happening, and don't know the answer until it's too late.**

 **It was fairly difficult to figure out how Monty Fiske gets himself back on track in the mortal world, but it's obvious enough that he's traumatized to a degree after what he experienced with the Yono. Most likely, a cover story has to be in order given that he was declared dead, so lots of discussion between myself and Blue Kitsune was in order, along with a couple others. Monty really has to go through enormous means to readjust to the world - but the fight is still far from over with the Yono.**

Chapter One

Night Horrors

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No. _He had the strength to speak back, clench his jaw the best he could, retain as much of his pride as he could. That monstrous tail insulted him but reminded him this was what he had no choice but to oblige to. Touching him there, sensationalizing him...degrading him. That was what it was, and no one would change that._ Stop this.

I'm afraid not. _The tip wrapped around his length and squeezed the sensitive flesh, drawing a gasp he could not help. He wasn't supposed to...!_ If you would only stop fighting, this would be pleasant for us both. And if you are awakened by another insignificant mortal, then you won't have to worry about this until next time...

 _He whimpered in response, when the tail abandoned the apex of his legs and went behind, ghosting over the valley of his rear, the muscles contracting uncontrollably as the monkey deity enjoyed this uncharted territory very much and pulled the trigger in his plaything's sanity - what was left of it, to be precise..._

~o~

It happened like this every night since he awoke in the garden of his own castle, which had not been bought or changed in any way. It was very much the way it was ever since several months ago, and sometimes Monty Fiske wondered if he would ever adjust to being in the world again.

Bates and his monkey ninjas - they saved him, brought him safely home. The Yono had not been unearthed, nor had he even tried to follow him - but he was still in Monty's mind and soul, haunting him at every turn. Nearly a year passed since he was "reborn", and his mental state was not getting any better. Meditation only did so much, and he was going to give it another shot on this night. He could get his favorite tea afterwards and then the antidepressants prescribed for him.

He looked up at the grandfather clock in his bedroom, sighing sharply when he saw it was two in the morning. Perfect - perfect, that was it. He had never had a decent night's rest in ages; divine punishment, it was. He supposed he deserved this, but no. He didn't want to be tormented forever unless something was done about his suffering. He hadn't been able to do anything much with his life outside these walls when he was not traveling on excavation.

Imagine the surprise of the world when he appeared after seven years; he'd been declared dead, no surprise there. But what else could there have been done? He'd left the estate and holdings to Bates, his ever loyal servant. His monkey ninjas could have gone off and did what they wanted freely, but instead they stayed around and plotted to rescue him from the Yono. It took the efforts of the family lawyer's help to get him cleared from prison and entering rehabilitation for about six months. Six months of therapy, he thought sarcastically. Just wonderful, just what he needed.

Fiske was cleared of his slate, but that did not mean his mind was in the best state as it was. The National Museum allowed him back, but a lot of questions were raised as to why he had been gone for seven years, and _where_ he had been. Having gotten lost during excavation - that was it, hard to believe as it was; he'd spent a considerably long time in the mountain regions of Japan and went through extreme means to survive, but that was only half the truth. Who would believe him if he told of being in another world, molested by a simian god until his manservant and loyal monkey ninjas saved him?

"People get lost every day," he assured himself as well as those nagging reporters who asked, and the rest around them, "so it's no surprise to return from the blue as I have."

Throwing off the covers with his feet, Monty found himself staring down at his nude body, seeing the sheen of sweat that covered him from chest to pubic range. His heart rammed so hard against his sternum that he thought it would explode. This was ridiculous - or should he say something better? He could not think of anything better at the moment.

He stood up and remained there, inhaling and letting it out until his heart calmed down a little. "You're losing it, as they all say," he muttered bitterly to himself, picking up his robe at the foot of the bedpost and wrapping it around himself. Who knew if Bates was awake at this time, but he wanted tonight all to himself. If the monkey ninjas disturbed his early morning solitude, he would unleash the foulest curse he could manage purely because he felt like it. He would apologize at another time.

Monty was no stranger to the hallways and secret passages of his own castle. When Bates had to leave, he made do with working his own way to take care of everything. The man had been there for him since the day he was born; he even delivered him from Monty's own mother, who died not long afterwards. A part of Monty felt abandoned when Bates could apparently no longer take his "Mystical Monkey Power madness"; maybe it was, but it was what Fiske wanted...and he was afraid now to even continue because of the Yono.

He turned on one light in the kitchen and padded straight for the cupboards. He rarely ever came here anymore, not even back in the older days. He hoped making the calming lemon chamomile at this time would soothe him and take his mind off things, but as he waited for the water to boil, he found himself staring down at his hand on the handle of the pot...where the _yellow sign of the Yono glowed visibly._

Trying not to scream, Monty closed his eyes as well as that hand into a fist, immediately removing it from the boiling pot of water so he didn't get seared. When would this nightmare ever end?

The steam shrieked, telling him it was ready for him. But when he tried to grab a cup, his hands shook that he dropped it to shatter to the tiled stones beneath his bare feet. Groaning in pain - both in mind and body - Fiske leaned over the other side of the stove and bowed his head, his mind swimming that he didn't realize anyone was in his presence.

A familiar ooking behind him told him that one of the monkey ninjas was here. Whirling around, he saw which one. "Chippy! What are you doing here at this time of night?!" he asked angrily, gripping the counter behind him on either side.

The monkey chattered and walked his way, picking up the broken pieces of ceramic at his feet, and he watched the little minion toss them into the recycle on the other end. Well, at least his lackeys learned to pick up while he was gone. He didn't know if Bates taught them or if they did it on their own. "Chippy," Monty repeated, baring his teeth, "answer me."

The answer was obvious enough: he'd gotten hungry for a late night snack and thought he could come down here for a banana, and had heard the crash and decided to investigate. He'd been concerned his master had been hurt, which Fiske found mildly amusing but also accepting. "Very well," was all he said simply before turning around and plucking one of the bananas from the latest batch he had gotten today. "Well, I am perfectly all right. If that is all..."

Chippy was not done, however. He was always one of the bolder of Monkey Fist's minions, especially with that one time being the pretender's friend. The last he heard of Team Possible, so much had happened that there was no more contact between them, which he was thankful for. The last he heard of Kim Possible was that she'd married Stoppable and had a child with him, and was still saving the world with him. In addition, she was a respected explorer and archaeologist - which took him aback altogether. Why she'd chosen such a career was beyond him; was it for her own sake, or was she thinking about _him..._

Monty Fiske shook his head. No, she couldn't have. She rejected being his Monkey Queen, left him with an empty bed and the gift he acquired in Africa - and he took great joy in his revenge on her by allowing the Yono to turn her to stone if only for a short amount of time. To know she was still alive and well did make him relieved, to a degree. A small part of him wondered if she knew he was alive and well, across the sea from her.

~o~

 _"Ron, come on!"_

 _"No, Kim; I have to stay and stop this."_

 _"There is no time! The bomb is going off in a minute, and you'll get killed if you stay here!"_

 _"Just as there was no way to deactivate it beforehand! Wade couldn't even get a way to turn it off, either, and the more time passes, the less chance you have to survive. You must go on without me, and tell Sara her daddy loved her..."_

 _"I love you, Ron."_

 _"And I love you, too, KP."_

She awoke gasping and struggling to breathe. It had been awhile since she had this one dream - memory, actually - and she awoke sweating, her camisole and shorts clinging to her body around one in the morning. She found herself looking down then, seeing the silk fabric painted with summery blooms and with a lace trim; it did nothing to make her feel better by any means. She sat up with her legs bent at the knees as she ran her hands through her damp hair, once long and going past her shoulders but now shortened to below the ears.

"Oh, God, Ron."

Two years had passed since her husband sacrificed his life in the noble effort of saving all those people in the Downtown Middleton Center, a fiasco caused by Professor Dementor - and the final fight with him, she remembered. It all ended that day, defeating him once and for all that she was more than glad he was done for after...but it also marked the end of Ron Stoppable. The mad genius who rivaled Dr. Drakken just could not stand any more rounds with him and Kim that another direct attack against them was out of the question.

He was going to take all of Middleton down starting at one of its major locations. It would have taken her and Ron down with it, finishing it all off once and for all. The timer had been set to ten minutes, which was not enough time for her to take him herself - and then Ron did the bravest, smartest thing in letting her lead Dementor away from the main site of the bomb hidden within the depths of the structure.

After the final battle with Monkey Fist and the Yono, Ron still had what was left of his attained Mystical Monkey Power to absorb the impact of the bomb as it went off, the cellular level of the absorption so immense that it killed him within minutes. Kim had to see him one last time as she'd run in time to catch his body falling, laying him down and feeling her heart break when she held her husband and shared the last few minutes with him.

The agony in his eyes - oh, she would never forget it as long as she lived. Their little girl had not been there, and she had done more than struggle to explain that her daddy was not coming back. Sara had screamed and cried with her mother for a long time in the day after that, and then a few more to go.

"Middleton is...saved," he'd breathed as he looked up at his wife of three years. It had been a great three years, getting married right after college and then having their first baby, then establishing careers for themselves - he became a world-famous chef and she an archaeologist - but then it was taken from them.

Her face had burned with the tears that came. "You did it, Ron," she'd told him. "And it was all you."

His body shook, sending terrible tremors throughout hers. "Yeah, I suppose I did...but that doesn't mean I'll be leaving this place alive." His eyes glazed over as they continued to look into hers. "I'm so sorry."

He had said that because he was feeling guilty of depriving their daughter of her father. "No, don't you dare apologize," she'd croaked, cupping his face. "You did the right thing."

"I sacrificed myself for you, for Sara - and for everyone in Middleton." Ron had nodded, fighting to prevent himself from shaking again but knew it wouldn't work. His system was on the verge of shutting down very soon. His veins and nerves were jutting out in outlines through his skin, the blood draining from his face. He had more to tell her, and she wanted to hear it.

"At least I will be called a hero just like you, and everyone will remember me for this," he'd said softly. "And I got to see you one last time...but I wish I could see Sara once more. I meant it, Kim. I love you both."

"I love you, too - and I'll tell her for you," she'd sworn, bending her head down to kiss him one more time, and in time to feel his last breath on her face. She'd been there beside his body for a long time and not paying attention to anyone but the loss of her best friend.

When Kim Stoppable returned home with her husband's body, she broke the news to her family and his, and all the floodgates were like nothing you'd ever recall any family releasing when they lost a friend or loved one. The funeral itself was enormous, filled with grieving friends and family - but mostly, the immense impact was for the widow herself, and with Rufus perched on her shoulder, sniffling and bawling for his master who was at peace for eternity.

She'd tossed the white rose bouquet into the casket as though having an out-of-body experience, before it would be taken to the crematorium. "Good bye, Ron," was all she could say, but she did stay behind with her little daughter who was three at the time, and Rufus with them as everyone else left them alone.

Kim swung her legs on the edge of the bed, staring at the floor with her vision going white. She'd had the flashback every few months since that horrible day, Ron's death hitting her worse than everyone thought; they'd known each other all their lives. She could never save the world without him, so she retired following the funeral and settled on a quiet life, working at the local museum and answering calls to minor expeditions if rarer than it used to be for her. She even wrote and published for the findings, but otherwise devoted her life for her and Ron's daughter, who was turning five years old next Saturday.

Slipping on her robe which matched her short set, the kimono sleeves edged with delicate lace, Kim softly padded down the hallway and found the cracked door, peering inside to see the little innocence surrounded by pink and so many toys and stuffed animals - namely monkeys, a difference from her father - and karate gear. Sara Jessica Stoppable - it had been a laugh that the name sounded similar to the real life actress. At first it was going to be Jessica Sara, before it was noted the abbreviation JSS sounded like Senor Senior Junior backwards, which was an even bigger laugh. Soft blonde hair like her daddy, with her mother's green eyes and facial resemblance. She even had so much of Kim in her, sometimes had Ron's goofiness but otherwise was not afraid of monkeys.

However, on the mother's part, when she found herself on the topic of monkeys, it brought her back to a certain man obsessed with them...but he wasn't an interference anymore. She didn't want Sara to know about Monkey Fist, and she and Ron barely brought him up anymore after the mistake she made that nearly tore them apart.

Kim gently closed her daughter's door and turned to head to the bathroom down the hall, pulling out the medication from her mirror cabinet and taking one pill to pop in to ease her depression before she went back to bed, and in time to see Rufus wide awake on the side where his master used to sleep.

"Sorry, Rufus," Kim murmured, sliding back under the covers with her robe still on; she didn't feel like taking it off now. "Go back to sleep."

When she awoke around eight, a familiar little voice was calling for her outside the door. Sara had karate class on Saturdays, and it always started at ten, but the girl was always up earlier than that. "Mommy, wake up!"

"I'm up, I'm up," she said, hurrying out and seeing Sara already dressed to go. Even though she was almost five, Kim was happy she taught her daughter well to dress on her own. Though sometimes she thought the little lady did it mostly on her own.

"They grow up so fast, don't they, Rufus?" she asked the naked mole rat, who sighed heavily with her in agreement.

After dropping Sara off at the local karate school, Kim was driving home with Rufus in the front seat - and in perfect timing to get a call from Wade. The SUV had an installed GPS form of a communication system for the genius she'd known since high school who was now in college himself to become a career tech. "What's the sitch, Wade?" she asked, and a long time of that line never made it go out of style. Her friend laughed before it got a little serious.

 _"Well, sorry it has to be at a time like this, and is the kid around?"_

"Not at all. I just dropped her off at karate."

Wade grinned and gave her his thumbs up. _"Maybe she will grow up to be just like you and join Global Justice."_

Kim inhaled through her nose. She wasn't sure if she wanted her daughter picking up that torch for her someday, but Sara's happiness and her future choices were more important than her own. "We'll see about that," she said, making a left turn after the light turned green. "So, what's on the agenda?"

 _"Something you haven't heard in awhile, and it's old news to you - an ancient artifact has been recovered, but the National Museum is calling for your help."_

 **Thanks to DraconianKat and Blue Kitsune for helping me out with what becomes of Ron. It was really hard, because I DO love Ron so much, but it was for a reason for this story to work. There is more to come, so the story is far from over as it was obvious enough. It was especially challenging to figure out WHO would be responsible for Ron's heroic death; if it had been any other way, it would have downgraded him.**

 **This chapter - and maybe the entire story - is also for Christy Carlson Romano (voice of Kim) who is expecting her first child, a little girl, due later this year. :) In case anyone didn't know, so congratulations to her are in order.**


	3. The Blade of Xian

**First off, I recently got a guest comment that told me they hoped I got cancer for "this disgusting pairing and the wedge between Kim and Ron's love". Comments like that are flames to me, and I specifically said no flames; I love the couple of Kim and Monty as much as I love her and Ron, and that is all that matters.**

 **I respect that not everyone likes Monkey Fist, but to me personally, there IS something attractive and fascinating about him: he's reserved, British, and wild all in one; he's a real man even if what he does is a far cry from civilized. He's cultured, well-educated and a stand-out (right up with Shego). If no one likes him, then please don't offend someone else who does.**

Chapter Two

The Blade of Xian

Kim sighed when she got the message just now. The National Museum was contacting her because they needed her for "one last assignment" - she knew where that would go. She'd specifically said in her letter that she was retired from saving the world and had a little girl to focus on. They were very much well aware of her late husband, so they could have respected that wish...but it had to be something that serious that she knew she couldn't ignore this.

"What do they want, Wade?" she asked, stealing a look with Rufus who shrugged and shook his head, muttering something about "stupid museum". Part of her wanted to agree more, but she didn't. She had been honored to be a part of the expeditions and protection of the artifacts, but she was approaching thirty - in a couple years - and wanted to remain settled down.

Her genius' face lit up immediately. _"A weapon from across the globe that was thought to be lost forever until it turned up deep within the regions of Mount Fuji. Must have been hidden very good until now,"_ he mused while rubbing his chin in thought. _"But the museum benefactors won't reveal the information to the public until they meet with you."_

Of course. "Fine, when do they want to meet with me?" It had to be a day while Sara was not in the house, because she didn't want her daughter to suddenly throw a fit and beg her mother to stay home. Even though it was the nature of a child to behave like that, Kim hated leaving her little girl if only for a short amount of time. Sara liked to have fun at both workplaces of her grandparents', but Kim was still her responsible mother.

 _"Dr. Robertson is pushing for Monday around noon if it is not a bad time."_

"I'm on it," Kim agreed, and the signal was cut. She exhaled. "Well, Rufus, how about that? Story of my life: I try to be there for my daughter and then I get a call two years after losing her daddy - wonder what it could be."

~o~

Well, what could he say? Lord Fiske gave himself a proud smirk as he looked himself over in the mirror from the fitted light blue collared shirt and explorer's trousers like he used to don in earlier days, sliding the last glove over his left hand. Smiling wider, he reached up then to button the last of his collar until two remained untouched. He'd groomed his hair so it swept off to one side. Humming to himself as he fastened his belt with his shirt tucked in, he decided it was enough. The plane would not leave for another four hours, and the preparations had been made.

He turned around and nearly ran into Bates, exclaiming angrily. "Forgive me, lord," the former valet said with a bow of his head. Although he no longer worked for him, Bates felt responsible to come and check on him on occasion. It had been three years since his return to the world, and it was as if nothing had changed. Monty had done very well without him, yet he could never have been without the man who raised him and served him since birth.

"I have already settled the charter," Monty said, accepting the cup of tea from the set. "We will leave in four hours' time."

"As you wanted it to be," Bates agreed, following him out of the bedroom. "But, if I may be so bold..." He paused there, hesitant and making his master roll his eyes.

"Go on."

"Are you sure it's wise to have...Kim Possible - er, Stoppable - involved in this? She's no longer the woman you knew her, and I know good and well she could have you back behind bars once more if she tried..."

Monty laughed harshly, brushing this all off. His slate was clean, so she could not fight him again like the "good old days" this time. Besides, he needed her help good and well. After all, it was indeed he who discovered the weapon in Mount Fuji with the museum's permission, and it would be safely brought back, but he couldn't do it alone. "I highly doubt it," he answered. "She won't resist me; I'll have her in the palm of my hand once more soon." When he learned of the death of her husband two years back, imagine his utter joy when his arch enemy for _Tai Shing Pek Kwar_ put his life on the line for the sake of an entire town and his family. Fiske loathed Ron Stoppable, yet at the same time respected him as a worthy adversary while it had been. The fool was never a true master of monkey kung fu, but in death he was a hero.

Leaving his wife and young child alone that way? That booked an opportunity now after two years for him, and two years had been enough of searching endlessly for a way to free himself from what tormented him long enough once and for all. He'd found what he needed to break his connection to the Yono forever.

Bates was still concerned for him, still questioning him. "I wonder if she will ever believe you when you tell her the entire story as soon as you are alone, milord," he said, setting the tea service down on a nearby table. "After all, what happened in Japan -"

"Was in the past," Monty interrupted sharply, rolling his sleeves up to the elbows, then barked out for his monkey ninjas to assemble. "She won't accept it right away, but I look forward to meeting her again." There was so much he wanted to know, such as how much she changed, and if there was ever a chance to make amends if she still resisted him. Despite what transpired, he still...longed for her. His body notably, even if his mind and soul were still in turmoil over the hell he endured for seven years. But Kim Stoppable was a mother now, so if that child ever got in the way, he would show what was good for them.

"She will question me, of course," he said to both Bates and the monkeys at attention, and to himself, "but I'll ensure that our relationship remains as balanced as possible. I'll make sure of it. All of you know what you have to do, but we will not fight until the time comes, of course." He smiled to them all. "The Yono will no longer frighten me, and I'll soon sever the ties to him once and for all - with Kim Stoppable at my side as you are."

~o~

She had to say the weekend went by too fast when Monday finally arrived. Sara did not start school - preschool, at the same place her mother had gone, and it was where she first met her best friend and future husband - until September which was five months away, but she was spending the day with her grandpa at the space center, which was an occasion. At least James Possible could not resist his granddaughter spending the day with him while her mother had a meeting with a colleague of hers.

"I hope it's nothing terrible," he'd told his daughter with his worried expression.

She'd shrugged. "So do I. I can't just deprive Sara of her normal life that her mommy didn't have, Dad."

"You're a really good mother, Kimmy."

She liked to think so herself. When Sara was born, it was the most exciting moment of her life, and Ron had been panicked out of his wits because he was going to be a father for sure that hadn't been taking care of baby Hana when she was first adopted into the family. But he was just as joyful as Kim when their daughter was held in their arms at the hospital. Ann Possible had departed briefly from her shift at the same time when she learned of her granddaughter being born.

Rufus was helping her get everything ready before Dr. William Robertson arrived. The chief benefactor of the National Museum, he was a refined retired explorer who decided that physically going out into the field wasn't up to his liking as he reached of age - by now he was in his early fifties and with three adult children - and counted on priceless artifacts to be brought safely to the museum.

"All set?" Kim asked the naked mole rat as she finished boiling the water for the tea. She would be the gracious American welcoming her English colleague. She was also dressed if not completely special; her aqua-colored turtleneck hugged her torso right as her dark jeans and knee-high boots snugged. Rufus chatted his glee when he handed her the tea bags - it was hilarious to know tea bagging was also called a sexual phrase, the comparison made just for the fun of it - and she had them all set and ready in time for the bell to ring. Perfect timing seemed to be the case nowadays.

"Mrs. Stoppable," Dr. Robertson said with a polite smile and incline of the head forward. "Oh, forgive me, Kim. We are still friends, after all."

"Yes, William, but it's no big," she told him, stepping aside. He chuckled. "The least I could do is continue to welcome you into my home anytime, social and non alike."

"True, so true. The least I myself could do after you lost your husband if you hadn't brought back the latest of ancient Australian artifacts from the Outback the year prior," Robertson said, that familiar look coming over his eyes that she knew reflected her own. "But perhaps it's for the best to not dwell on the past and instead focus on now, shall we?" he offered with a slight smile as he sat down on the tastefully striped sofa and watched as she retrieved the tea.

Rufus jumped onto the coffee table in front of him and welcomed him, making the man laugh. "Well, hello, rodent."

"Hey!" the naked mole rat exclaimed, mildly offended.

Kim laughed heartily and returned with the steaming cups, handing him his. "He means well, Rufus. He knows you're a naked mole rat, don't you, William?" She batted her eyelashes at him, making the old man slightly flustered. "But on a serious level: what did you and the museum want of me, and what's this new discovery in Japan?" she questioned, warming her hands around her cup.

"Ah, yes, thank you for reminding me." He took a small sip of his before setting it down on the table. "One of our best has made the discovery himself and brought it back personally, but unfortunately despite the measures to keep the knowledge private, he's been unwittingly discovered by the ones who guarded that particular region in the mountain. He managed to bring it back to London, but I'm afraid we are rather tight for now. Which was why we decided to call for you." Regret flashed across his face. "If we could call this...one last assignment."

She knew those choice of words were coming. Setting her cup down and folding her fingers together in her lap, she sat up straighter. "I really want to believe it's the last time, William, but I've retired. I have a daughter who needs me, but I have no regrets saving the world or any contributions I have made to the museum." Her thumb felt around and came across the rings she still wore, not brave enough to remove that one last trace of Ron.

Robertson nodded somberly. "I anticipated you would say so, Kimberly, but perhaps it would help if you saw what we recovered. We brought it straight here to the states with the help of the one who retrieved the item," he said, standing. "We have it outside right now, and I would like to bring it in with your permission, of course." He gestured for her to lead the way back to her front door. She wasn't surprised that he'd already backed up the exhibit, and she got all the more curious. But why bring it all the way to the states? She was trustworthy enough, wasn't she?

"Okay, lead on," she agreed, Rufus repeating the words and jumping onto her shoulder to perch.

The strange item was brought inside a long, narrow crate supported by two burly men, deposited on the floor of her living room, and then one of them picked up a crowbar to open the ends of the top part; the lid was removed to show protective straw which was soon removed to show a rich burgundy carved atop the surface with exquisite Asian scenery such as cherry blossoms and cranes, mountains and clouds. The box remained inside the crate while its lid was also removed - and Kim gasped at the sight inside. "Oh..."

"Knife!" Rufus cried, pointing and jumping up and down on her shoulder.

Robertson chuckled. "Correction, my little friend, it's not just any knife. Kim, I trust you remember this fine piece of weaponry if never with your own two eyes."

"It's the Blade of Xian." If anyone believed the legend, it was the glorious weapon of the goddess herself - the goddess of enlightenment, a variant of the Taoism religion involving the term that was her name. She was an enemy of Yono the Destroyer as well as a distant cousin of the _Han._ Hana Stoppable was the Han, and she'd defeated both the Yono and Monkey Fist who had unearthed him - now he was paying for his greed and lust for power. But that was another story; this was about the weapon, mystified and long since lost but now in possession of the National Museum. "My God, it's so...beautiful."

Robertson chuckled as he reached and carefully picked up the marvelous length from handle to the covered tip so he could hand it to Kim herself. The feel of its weight in both hands was impeccable as its masterful craftsmanship. The handle was an ornate bronze, or maybe gold, but there was no telling, flawless with the Japanese symbols on the hilt. The blade itself measured to be about nine centimeters long and straight, single-edged, and the engraved images in its surface on both sides - the _horimono_ \- was that of the _kinmokusei_ , or orange osmanthus, which represented truth and nobility. Kim thought it plausible and befitting for the goddess as her symbol. In the traditional blade-making methods of _san mai,_ this was the finest work ever created thousands of years ago, or even longer...and even better than the highest quality of _tamahagane_ steel to produce in the mortal world.

Kim's breath was taken away by the sheer immortal beauty of this finery when she gently and slowly pulled it out from its bronze case to admire the detail, the sound of steel against the other metal emitting a soft sharp slicing effect.

"It's glorious, isn't it?"

She stiffened right away, putting the blade back into its case. This weapon was too priceless to drop just because of the sound of THAT voice - a voice she never thought she would hear again. But she didn't turn around, not even when Dr. Robertson chuckled and took the blade from her clutches. "Monty, I was beginning to think that you were not going to come here."

He chuckled, the sound making her nerves go. "I apologize, William, but my plane did land on schedule, but the traffic was horrendous that I had to take a taxi and let my valet check us in at the lodge." So, Bates was here, too, and Kim recalled meeting him only one time - but what about his legion of monkeys?

"Kimberly, I would love for you to meet the man who went to Mount Fuji and retrieved the Blade of Xian himself - Lord -" William began only to be interrupted by her, because there was no use in pretending she didn't know the man whom she sensed coming up behind her and in her own home.

"Monty Fiske," she said coolly, locking her green eyes with his steely blue ones. He smiled charmingly as he bore down on her.

"It's been a long time, Mrs. Stoppable."

"Yes, it has been."

She wanted to tear her eyes away from him but found she could not. He held her there like he did that one night that changed everything. He wasn't wild and animalistic like the final time she met with him alongside the Yono, but he certainly hadn't changed a bit in appearance either; it was like he didn't age a day. He was back to look the part of the charming and handsome explorer she admired before their meeting - and whose bed she shared for one night of forbidden bliss.

Now a new question soared through her mind: how did he ESCAPE the Yono?

More importantly: he'd found the Blade of Xian, so what was his game now that she was sure he was back to his old tricks?

 **I remember coming across an instrumental named "Xian", composed by Antti Martikainen, on YouTube and fell in love with it right away. Afterwards I did research to find it was a Chinese phrase for an enlightened person based on the following that I found on Wiki: spiritually immortal, physically immortal, nymph, celestial, extraordinary, and other terms and phrases. There is also an archetype of the name as described by Victor H. Mair: "** **They are immune to heat and cold, untouched by the elements, and can fly, mounting upward with a fluttering motion. They dwell apart from the chaotic world of man, subsist on air and dew, are not anxious like ordinary people, and have the smooth skin and innocent faces of children. The transcendents live an effortless existence that is best described as spontaneous. They recall the ancient Indian ascetics and holy men known as** _ **rsi**_ **who possessed similar traits."**

 **I knew that I wanted the deity Xian - a rival of the Yono and a cousin to Han/Hana - to be a woman based on the music video and the research above, but without giving every spoiler away for now, she's going to differ slightly from the completed account given. The construction and details of her weapon - the blade itself - was inspired by real methods of Japanese sword-making called San Mai, horimono and tamahagane which was also explained. I even picked the flower on the blade because of its meaning which seemed to befit Xian. :) I look forward to more of this later on in the story as I am sure the rest of you do.**

 **Now that Kim and Lord Fiske have reunited, now things are getting more interesting. Stay tuned!**


	4. Appearances Can Be Deceiving

**In case anyone is wondering about Lord Fiske in here, he WILL undergo a lot of change in here, given so far he is still the same scheming man we all know him as - but that major change will not happen so fast. And I also didn't have it in me to change much about Kim, given certain phrases she's famous for on the cartoon. The point of this story is also to stay true to the show.  
**

Chapter Three

Appearances Can Be Deceiving

Two fiery emeralds locked him on sight as she breathed back that it _had_ been a long time since they last saw each other. Who could forget the sound of her voice, or her fire?

He had not been lying when he had been stuck in traffic after his family charter touched down, but he was supposed to be at the Stoppable home on time, so he decided to let Bates bring the monkey ninjas and what belongings they had - and make sure the monkeys were not seen, for if their master was present, the clerk would not resist him unlike with the valet who did not know how to persuade the worker to let disallowed pets into the establishment - while Fiske went off solo in a cab. He was determined to see that the Blade of Xian was brought to Kim Possible - correction, Kim _Stoppable_ \- personally. It had been Dr. Robertson's idea to deliver it to the young widow, and the perfect opportunity for Lord Fiske arrived.

Countless ancient texts remained in the castle that he'd spent one weekend pouring over, barely stopping like he used to, but it had all been worth it. The Yono was not alone in his mythology; besides his counterpart, the Han, there was yet another who was not of direct blood with him or the Han, but rivaled because she was all the more divine. A distant cousin of Han, Xian was the Divine Enlightened, kind in nature and lenient, but just as powerful as the Yono. Unlike the Yono whose image in the texts betrayed the shorter being Monty Fiske saw with his own two eyes, Xian was said to be a beautiful woman, as divine as the incarnations portrayed, but Monty could have been fooled as he had been when he saw the monkey god himself was shorter than he was made out to be.

Xian the merciful - he saw his way out. If he could use her sacred weapon which she'd used in battle against the Yono and defeated him, locked him away beneath the earth forever, then he would face the Yono with one last breath. He would not become the monkey's pet again.

Of course, alone could only do so much, so that was why he agreed with Dr. Robertson to bring in the retired heroine now in front of him.

She had grown, but she had not changed much. Her attitude was as fierce, and she still used such American phrases as "So not the drama", "it was no big" - he could go on forever. Her body composition was graceful athleticism as he recalled, but she didn't bare her midriff at the present. Her curves were worthy to behold, but there was indeed one stunner when he found himself looking upon her face: her flaming auburn mane was cropped short so the layered ends were an inch below her ears.

Just...ravishingly beautiful.

"Oh, you two already know each other," Robertson said, interrupting his train of thought. "May I inquire?"

Monty laughed. "We go back, William. Or have you forgotten what I told you?" It should have been knowledge of his history with Kim Possible a decade ago, but it wasn't openly discussed anymore that most people had forgotten, and William Robertson was a man to let bygones be bygones.

The older man cleared his throat. "Thank you for reminding me, Monty. But as I am sure you know, Kim, my dear, the past is the past. I don't have to repeat it again," he said with a slight smile, but when she did smile, it was at the professor himself and not Monty Fiske whom she still regarded hotly.

"I suppose I can put any personal feelings aside for the time being," she stated, hands on her hips. The tone was icy and willing in one; she hadn't forgotten anything about him, but how could she? Whatever her husband told her about Fiske while the Yono turned her to stone, it was no surprise to Monty himself. He wanted so much to say Ron Stoppable had been a fool, but the fool himself was dead that no revenge could be exacted.

No, he was not here to settle scores. He was here to recruit his former opponent who could very much be his last hope.

Robertson clapped his hands together once. "Yes, very good! Now, if we could sit down and discuss the arrangements?" he asked Kim, who nodded and gestured both men to sit on the sofa on the other side of the coffee table.

"Lord Fiske -" She was calling him by his title on formal means necessary, not that he minded. "- would you like some tea before we begin?" She had no idea that _he_ was coming, so she wasn't entirely the terrible hostess to ostracize him unlike the one friend and colleague they had in common. He chuckled in his throat; he'd had his drink on the flight, so he could not let her waste time giving attention to him when there was important work to do.

"No need to trouble yourself."

She nodded, perching down before them then. The moving men who brought the blade returned the sacred weapon back to its rightful place for the time being but left it before the trio and returned outside to wait for further orders. "So, now that we have this out of the way, perhaps you should explain to Mrs. Stoppable your journey to Japan, Monty," Robertson offered, making him smile. He had been looking forward to this; the excitement in his blood burned.

"It's quite a long story; are you sure you want to hear everything in a day?" Monty asked smoothly, seeing her face flush but otherwise hold her poise. "There have been old archival evidence that had been stored for some years but no trace of the famed weapon found until now. It was never found because it was not only well hidden deep within the ancient mountain, but it was protected good and well by worshippers of the goddess herself." He shook his head, amused at how some of his fellow scholars sometimes forgot that there were still guardians today in modern times. "The museum allowed me to retrieve the weapon and bring it, but despite every precaution I took, the disciples of Xian proved to be better than I realized - than we all realized," he added with a brief stolen glance to Robertson, who nodded silently and somberly. "I did pull some punches before I escaped with the blade. But it won't be long before the disciples catch on."

Inside, he tightened in every organ and muscle within his body. He'd started all of this, and for his own reasons to save his soul. He knew the risks he was taking; it could never have been easy, but with the goddess' followers on his trail now, the fight had gotten all the more challenging. Kim was still watching him while she listened to the story, knowing him better that there was more behind it. "Now, you're dragging me into this," she pointed out wryly. "Letting me in on a job that is bringing me away from home."

"I know how this is, but if we lose the weapon forever..." Robertson's pleas trailed off with him clasping his hands in front of him, begging her to do this not only for him, but for the entire world's sake as well as the museum. In Monty's own mind, he was hoping she would agree to this. He did not want to use force even though he would when it was necessary. Some things never changed, after all.

Kim's face flashed. He almost smiled to himself; that little fighter was still inside of her that he knew she couldn't resist now. Two years was not enough to change that. "We can't let that happen," she said finally. "We can't let the sword fall out of hands."

Monty lit up inside, and saw the same on Robertson's face. "Does this mean we indeed can count on you...one last time?" he asked eagerly.

"Yes. I'll settle a plan to have my daughter in the right hands until we return, but how soon can we leave?"

~o~

She was left alone with him - him, in her house, as he informed William he would be on his own and trusted HER very much - and a part of her wanted to kick him out then and there. Why was he here, how did he get away from his stoned fate he brought on himself...and what was he planning now? She would not pretend he didn't change, just to be safe. Obsessive men and women never changed just like that.

"What are you doing here?" Kim growled when their shared colleagues left. The crate containing the Blade of Xian had been left with her, and she knew how to take care of this, just to watch over until they all got ready to depart as early as tomorrow morning. "I thought you were in hell serving the Destroyer."

Monty Fiske laughed coldly as he turned to face her, his gloved hands behind his back. Pretty much everyone knew about his hands and feet, yet he kept them covered anyways, no surprise there. He was very much the refined explorer and scholar before he called her, used her and tricked her into getting him what he wanted. "In hell - that is an interesting term of phrase and so perfect to call it," he said smartly.

"Oh, sounds like it definitely was. I thought you would've felt honored to be with the Great Yono and be taught his power." Kim knew that being trapped in a stone prison had not been fun, but she couldn't imagine spending it for an eternity, or at least she assumed he was when no one heard from him. Yet his eyes narrowed and how he looked ready to say something, and instead chose to turn away.

"It's not any of your business, but I should tell you what's done is done, the past is the past. There is no need to further discuss that matter."

Kim could tell he wasn't saying more, but there was something about the way he reacted, and his body language seemed _definitely_ off like he was hiding from her, but for what reason? "You will have to tell me eventually," she told him, "because ten years of never seeing you again until now won't change a thing."

He snorted and turned halfway back to her. "No, it won't," he agreed.

Kim watched him keep his back to her, then turned back and looked ahead - at the collection of framed photographs over the fireplace. At the far end on the left was the one where she and Ron first met in preschool, then another from middle school and with the baby version of Rufus, proceeding to one day in high school - and then their wedding day, which had them happy and proud of their lives ahead of them. Following that was the birth of their daughter Sara, her mother still in hospital bed and the baby in her arms...and then was one of the final images of their lives, with Sara approaching three just before her daddy gave his life for her and her mother, and the entire world.

She tried not to cry when she tore her eyes away after seeing Sara from a few months ago after getting her first belt in karate - and this brought a chuckle from the man who was watching the new framed picture. "You must be proud of her, Kimberly," Fiske noted.

"I am," she answered, easing up. "She takes it every Saturday."

"She must take after her mother."

Kim looked down and saw Rufus hiding behind the sofa, away from the monkey man's eyesight. He was glaring between her and the Englishman who was irritating her all the more. Looking past him at the clock over the collection of memories, she saw it was nearly time to go pick up Sara. "She does, but I am not expecting her to do what I did. I want her to have what I didn't," she told him.

Being casual would not make the difference either, but she was never one to hold a grudge for too long - and the conflict was still far from over. "Of course. Don't all parents say that they want what is best for their offspring?"

It sounded like he was...challenging her, and it made her beyond angry. "What do you know about being a parent?" Kim sneered, folding her arms across her chest. Rufus mimicked her gesture and agreed with her; this man must not have felt the love she had for Ron and gave back to him, then gave to her daughter, but _he_ insisted on mocking her pride and joy. She saw Fiske's posture go rigid, and he whirled around with his eyes narrowed and his jaw clenched, teeth bared in a hiss.

"Not enough on your part," he answered, "but it does not mean that I can't try to. But for now, maybe we can instead focus on business and not familial matters, if that makes you feel any better?" Now his smile graced his chiseled features. That face made her melt, but he wasn't going to set her on fire. He thought he could charm her now, and she wouldn't let him do it. Look at what he did to her and Ron before, and if he thought he could sweep her off her feet like that one time, he was mistaken. She was stronger than she was then; she made a mistake once with him and wouldn't repeat it.

Kim found herself looking over him, taking in the light blue collared shirt with two buttons undone to show some of his chest, as well as the cargo trousers befitting his field. He was well swept, flaunting his aristocracy, the kind of image a young girl could get off her feet at the sight of, but not this time. Images like this didn't fool her anymore.

"Yes, I like that very much," she answered, turning and walking the other way to take her keys off the counter of the kitchen adjacent. "But if you don't mind, I have to run and pick up my daughter. Will that trouble you, or do you have a ride back to the lodge?"

She didn't like the idea of bringing him with her while she drove to her father's station to pick up Sara; the child would ask her mother what was with the strange man in their car. Monty smirked, and she knew he was, knowing him. "Hmm, meeting the daughter on my first day - this should be interesting," he said as he followed her out of the house and for the SUV. Rufus grumbled that he did not like this; Kim heartily agreed. How worse could this day get any more?

 **It was kinda tough to do Kim and Monty's first conversation alone together after ten years of absence, so thanks are in order to Blue Kitsune. :) This is the beginning of their relationship, professional in the beginning - and personal later on. I had some help both from Blue Kitsune, my newest best friend, and daccu65 whose experienced insight from personal experience gave me additional heads up.**


	5. You Raise Me Up

**The song in the beginning of this chapter will tear you up, so be warned. It is the same song I loved when I first heard it - and eventually became the title of this chapter - and sung by two different artists: Josh Groban, and then Celtic Woman. :)**

 **Yet again, a detail I forgot to mention. XD The meeting between Kim as well as Dr. Robertson and Lord Fiske from the last couple chapters was based off of one scene in "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor".**

Chapter Four

You Raise Me Up

To be sitting in the same vehicle while she was driving was an adventure on its own, and one he found amusing and exciting to say the least, because she had no choice in this matter. Monty was pleased this was all going smoothly thus far. The little rodent, Rufus, was scowling at him on occasion, but he only smirked at the naked mole rat and looked up at the woman herself, noting how she stole an occasional glance from the corner of her eye only to return it to the road ahead of her.

She barely spoke a word to him. "Is it too much to make conversation on the way out into town?" he asked suavely, folding his arms across his chest.

"What's there to talk about? It's not like we're getting beyond business after today."

He knew full well what she was implying, but he would not let it go any further than that. She didn't forget that night either; it made him wonder if she ever thought of him every time she was with her husband after Monty was in his stone prison, but he was not brash to dive into such a question at a time like this. "Well, hmm...it's no harm, is it? Anything is better than silence. To get to the point, I express my sincerest consolation when I learned about your husband's demise for the sake of you and your precious town," Monty said.

Now Kim looked at him entirely, her face red as her eyes flashed, her teeth bared as she growled at him for insulting her husband's memory. "Ron died saving everyone. You have the nerve to talk about him like that; you always did with us."

"I have, and he was a worthy adversary, Kimberly - as were you." He looked down disapprovingly when the naked mole rat jumped on him and attempted to bite him like he did once before, but he was prepared for that, drawing his arm up to protect the bared section. "Don't you even dare!"

She softened then, laughing as she took a hand off the wheel to give her pet a high-five. "He deserves it, Rufus."

Monty snarled through his teeth as he lowered his arm back to his lap, then found himself distracted by the shine on her left hand, knowing what it was. "I see you still wear his ring," he noted casually. Her attitude changed then, now appearing sad.

"Yeah. It's part of what I have left of him, along with Rufus here and Sara." Her attention fell down to the radio when a mournful tune began to play. When it started did not matter. Curious, Monty reached over and found the volume to turn it up a little, the lyrics rapturing him but causing her to break.

 _You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;_

 _You raise me up to walk on stormy seas;_

 _I am strong when I am on your shoulders;_

 _You raise me up to more than I can be._

"Turn it off." Kim's voice was strangled as Rufus jumped up to turn the volume off at once. The song must have dredged up quite a memory in her. "I don't like hearing this song."

Fiske hummed as he looked over her face, seeing the glaze in her eyes. "Do I need to ask?"

"It was played at Ron's funeral just before he was cremated."

He leaned backwards and inhaled through his nose. He hadn't seen any urn around the living room of the house, so it came as quite the surprise because the wife wanted her husband's ashes so she didn't leave him buried away from home. He automatically assumed she had the urn somewhere upstairs, like her bedroom...

"You don't have to believe me," Monty said, the words automatically slipping from his lips as his thoughts, "but I do sympathize your loss. But that does not mean I regret fighting your husband and yourself."

"That's good enough for me," Kim said, finally smiling to one corner of her mouth.

~o~

He was driving her insane, but it wasn't like she could kick him out of her existence. Talking about Ron, the song played at his funeral two years ago now on the radio, and now he was telling her he didn't regret their meetings and fightings. At least he was honest with her about that.

Rufus looked back and forth between them the entire time they spoke, keeping his yap shut before turning his back to the man altogether to look at her, but Kim couldn't look at him. A small part of her felt relieved that this was gotten off both their chests.

Just for the moment now - and she did mean just for the moment - it felt comforting to have him beside her, and even if it would never replace the emptiness that Ron had left her with. This was better than no one at all, besides Rufus. This was human contact, if not THAT kind of contact. She wasn't going to let him touch her again, she swore, yet her body felt like it was burning merely because of knowing Monty Fiske sat in her car, the aroma of his spicy cologne reaching her nostrils and the feel of his intense blue gaze boring into her from time to time if not on the road ahead...

Saved by the bell when they finally arrived at their destination. "We're here," she said, after going through security and coming into the parking lot. At the front of the main glass entrance were two special people in her life - and one she came all the way for. Parking before both her father and little girl, she rolled the window down for them both to come around.

"Mommy, you're here!" Sara said, leaning up and kissing her on the cheek, supported by James. Then her happiness turned to a frown. "Who's this?"

James Possible followed his granddaughter's gaze and frowned for a moment, making Kim worried, before his face became surprised. "Kimmy, who is your friend?" he asked.

Maybe it was because the crazed monkey man who attempted to sabotage his station, threatened to kill him and innocent children, looked like another man altogether that he didn't recognize Monkey Fist. "Um, Dad, baby," she answered them both, "this is a colleague and friend of mine."

"Lord Monty Fiske, all the way from England," he answered, leaning forward and extending his gloved hand out the window. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Dr. Possible."

"Oh, British, eh?" her father answered with a nervous smile, taking that hand and shaking it. "Well, I should say it IS an honor to meet you. But you said...colleagues?" he asked when he looked back at his daughter who flushed in spite of herself.

"Yes, Dad. We're just...working together. The National Museum sent him because they needed protection of a rare artifact that was recently discovered but is in danger," she explained, getting the reaction out of Sara who bit her lower lip. "Sweetie, get in the car." Her daughter nodded and then hugged, kissed her grandpa good-bye before he opened the back door for her and let her in, before giving Kim his full attention, face somber.

"Kimmy, I hope they're not calling you back to save the world again. I thought you said you wouldn't do this again."

She nodded. "I made that promise, yeah, but this time is urgent that the artifact can't be lost forever if it ends up in lesser hands." That was enough for him. He kissed her good-bye and she returned it, then he bade her good luck which she knew she needed. Knowing the past too well, this could not be taken lightly, and she would be more than prepared if the Xian followers caught up to them in Middleton or on the way back to England.

Then there was the sound of a mobile ringing. It surprised her because it couldn't be hers; even more when she saw that _Monty_ now owned one. What was he now, updated on today's technological standards? He was more old-fashioned, but he really did surprise her. "What is it, Bates?" he asked, ignoring both Kim and her daughter altogether when they left the space center. His expression then turned to surprise. "Oh, I see. Well, I am on my way. I will be there soon." When he hung up, he turned his attention to Kim. "We must head to the lodge at once - if it won't be a problem."

"What's the sitch?" Kim asked, wondering if it had to do with his "pet" monkeys, knowing he was never without his loyal little ninjas. Behind them, Sara was in deep conversation with Rufus but was still an attentive listener.

"One of my monkeys had a baby while I was gone," he answered solemnly, and this sparked the attention of Sara who erupted with excitement.

"You have monkeys?" she asked excitedly, unbuckling herself and coming close enough to be behind him. "That's awesome; I love monkeys!"

Kim was about to start the car - after checking the mirrors and the brakes - when she frowned. "Sara Jessica, get back in your seat," she scolded gently. "Remember what I told you?"

Her lower lip was in a pout like her mother still did on occasion. "Sorry, Mommy." She sat back and pulled her belt around to fasten with Rufus' help. "So, what's your name again?" she asked Monty, still grinning from ear to ear which he gave a raised eyebrow at; was he trying not to smile? Now she wanted to laugh.

"Lord Monty Fiske, young lady," he answered. "Miss Stoppable."

"Sara," she corrected proudly. "Sara Stoppable, but you can call me Sara."

Kim kept her attention on the road for the time being, intent on getting them all to the lodge before she and her daughter went home; she just wanted this over and done with, and tomorrow would be a long travel with him in the family charter. Damn it, it meant her and him before each other, or beside each other which was worse. That meant close enough to bodily contact...she quickly shoved the thought to the back of her mind.

"May I call you Monty?" she heard her little girl ask, which made her laugh at his flushed face that he quickly turned his back to her. His face turned an even darker shade of red because Kim was laughing at him.

"Miss Sara, I believe -"

Kim stepped in because this was too much. "Aw, Monty, be nice to the little lady." Something in her brain told her this might not be all that bad, because her daughter seemed to like Monty Fiske even though she didn't know him. Her love of monkeys might actually be something, and it piqued his interest.

"Very well," he acquiesced. "So, you like monkeys?"

Sara laughed and clapped her hands together. "Yeah, they're cute and adorable. Though..." Her face fell. "...Daddy was afraid of them. I don't remember him much, but he was kinda scared when I asked for a monkey toy or a movie with monkeys," she said softly, her green eyes widening a little before they brightened with her face. "So, can I see the baby monkey?" Kim's breath hitched; she was asking to go to the lodge, into a room full of monkeys in ninjas garb, just to see a newborn baby. She wasn't entirely sure about this, but there never seemed to be a time she could say no to her daughter.

Monty chuckled, courageous enough to turn back and look at her, baring his canines in a broad grin. "You like monkeys, eh? That's a first I have heard that you did not inherit from your father."

"You knew him?" Sara asked, eyes bulging wider before reverting to normal when he answered.

"Of course, as well as I know your mother - or rather, I did know him long before he died."

She didn't know what kind of poison he was about to feed her daughter about Ron, so she stepped in yet again because they were approaching their destination she saw on the GPS. "We're almost there," she announced, grinning when she saw his infuriated gaze at the interruption. "Middleton Lodge coming up. Sweetie, remember that one Christmas we spent here when Great-Nana came?" It was actually last Christmas, and Nana died of her age the following month. Everyone noticed it, but she was in high spirits anyway because of both grandkids and great-grandchild alike. Autopsy revealed heart attack in the sleep by the end of January to follow, but Sara was too young to know forensics just yet.

Now they were here, and all got out of the car, but Kim made damned sure to lock and install the security system. You could NEVER be too careful anytime. Before going for the elevator, Fiske was the first to go to the counter and make sure his name was in before he was given his spare key. "Ladies first," he said, turning to her and beaming before looking down at Sara who was giggling now. She was the first to run ahead but stopped when her mother had to call for her.

"Sara, no running!"

Rufus was safely tucked away within her jacket confides because of the no pets rule, but he was well-behaved. She prayed Fiske's monkey ninjas were on behavior, too. It also made her wonder how Bates made do with delivering a baby from one of them, which took her off. She assumed that the minions could never do anything - including mating - without the master's permission. Apparently Monkey Fist granted that permission for his own reasons.

All four of them - Rufus included - were at a double-room suite and greeted by the shorter, older gentleman she remembered. He looked utterly surprised to see her, then gazed down at little Sara who was ever excited to meet a new face. "Oh, Mrs. Stoppable, is this your...daughter?" Bates asked carefully. Kim found it in her to smile at him.

"This is Sara. Sara, this is Bates."

Her daughter did a little curtsy as they did in proper protocol. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Bates," she answered, earning another chuckle from Lord Fiske who had never thought he'd see this from her. Her mother taught her more than he should have realized. "So, where is the baby monkey?" She was very much more straightforward, too.

Bates hadn't expected a child to come today, but he glanced at his master who nodded his permission. "This way." He led them all past the kitchen and into another room where the monkeys in black ninjas garb were crowded, then raised their heads at the sight of their master and his guests, parting away to bow their heads as a show of respect. Kim didn't pay attention to the looks of the room at this point, instead focused on the lone monkey - a female - cradling her newborn in her arms. Sara squealed, but was restrained when her mother put her hand on her small shoulder as a silent plea to keep calm and show respect before she reacted. Then they watched as Monty stepped forward and sat on his knees on the edge of the bed to gaze upon one of his loyal minions before focusing his attention on the newest member of the ranks.

~o~

Mating season it had been, and it wasn't long before he had noticed that Lili and Chippy were both expecting. If it had been another time when they were all still trying to beat Team Possible, he would have denied that permission until the task was done, but those days against the then-teenage squad were over. He knelt on his knees at the foot of the bed as the others parted to let him be before the new mother and her young.

Female animals of all species were very protective of their young, so Lili was no exception. But she knew him as her master too well to assume he would harm her new baby. Monty gave her a small, reassuring smile as he extended both hands out and patiently waited until she reluctantly let go of the little one. The baby monkey fit much smaller in both of his hands, ooking and whimpering at the same time as it looked up at him, afraid because this was not its mother. Measuring to be about five pounds, if only a guess, the baby was in perfectly healthy condition. Examining further with his back turned to his valet and the Stoppable ladies, he found out the baby was female. He smiled his blessings and was just giving her back to her parents when little Sara Stoppable's youthful excitement got the best of her yet again.

"Monty, can I see it now?" She had come around the bed and was about to climb on when he stopped her harshly.

"Young lady, I would not be so hasty." She slid off and looked up at him with wide green eyes - her mother's eyes - and was biting her lower lip all because he'd raised his voice on her, when all she wanted to do was see the baby monkey. He sighed, lowering his head briefly before succeeding in giving Chippy and Lili their little one back. He turned his whole weight back to the child.

"You must understand that mother monkeys and all other mothers of every animal species are very protective of their young ones, so Lili here will not hesitate to fight back for the sake of her child," he explained, as softly and patiently as he could, even with her mother in their presence.

"Oh." She nodded as if understanding completely, but he doubted it. He had little to no experience with children, and his own father had not been the best role model for him growing up; add in the fact that Monty never knew his own mother, so feminine love was out of the question. Then Sara had to ask him yet another innocent if somewhat irritating question to satiate her curiosity. "Why are they all dressed like...ninjas?"

Monty took a quick look around to see them crouching close behind him just for the sake of it. How could he answer that? He found himself looking over his shoulder to see Bates' worried gaze and Kimberly's fiery green one, warning him. Human mothers protective of their offspring was no exception to animals. "They are very special," he answered, returning his attention to the child, "and they know a form of karate, just like you."

Just like that, her enthusiasm was back. "Really? Why?" she pressed.

"Well, because they are..." He trailed off there. How should he go about explaining that he trained them in the arts, so he himself could have been the Monkey Master, without giving too much information away? "Let's just say it is a very...special case." He frowned when one of the monkeys got out of rank, but closely noted which one it was when it jumped off the bed and moved to circle Sara. "Chippy, get back with your family!"

The monkey didn't listen to him, making him angry. Monty watched as he circled the girl, sniffing at her curiously before moving to hug her, seeing traces of his onetime friend - oh, the rage when the little traitor stopped him from killing the girl's father that one time - in her. This was not good, not good at all...but then he was rubbing his face against the child's cheek, causing her to giggle and return the hug.

He watched the sight with a lift in his spirits. She did not inherit the loathing of monkeys that her father did, which pleased him utterly. He began to like her if only slightly. She was fair-haired like Ron Stoppable, but had the eyes, appearance and fire of her mother, the latter dominating more of the heredity level. "She loves monkeys, Mrs. Stoppable," he heard Bates say to Kimberly.

"Um, yeah." She was still rather wary of the former valet as she was of the master. "Her dad was slowly getting over his monkey phobia, but that didn't stop him from spoiling her with what she loved most. I had to step in when things got too far."

By too far, she meant her husband flipping - American phrase - and ruining it for their only daughter. Monty smirked to himself before returning back to see little Sara and Chippy chatting to each other before Lili ooked over to her mate because their baby needed her father's love. Chippy returned the call and then patted Sara's face before jumping back to his family, leaving the girl to look back up at Monty. "What are they going to name it?" she asked.

Monty swallowed. He left the naming choice to his two minions, so he had no options. "Well, I do not know. It is a female -"

"A girl!" she said happily. He had to return the smile only because she made him...feel like it. What had come over him? "I know a name."

"Hmm?" He furrowed his brows before turning his face back to look at the gathered group which was now looking at her, attention rapt with interest. "That's usually up to the parents to decide," he told her, but she insisted.

"Katara."

Monty gawked in spite of himself. "Ka...tara?" he repeated, testing the name on his own tongue. It was very interesting, but too extended for a baby monkey. Then Lili ooked her approval, Chippy with her, and the others soon followed. Behind them, Kim and Bates as well as the naked mole rat were laughing. The child was very smart, indeed, but it begged a question. "Just where did that name come from?"

"This cartoon show she loves so much," her mother answered for her. " _Avatar_ \- there is a character named Katara. It's great and action-packed that she binge-watches every time it is on." She snickered. "And Rufus can't get enough with her."

He had no idea how to respond to this, feeling Bates' eyes on him but not acknowledging. He never had much of a childhood as he said before, so to hear all these things that mother and daughter talked about to love, he felt more alien than he could recall - but the fact little Sara Stoppable loved monkeys as much as he made him experience a foreign feeling he did not remember feeling...

Katara it was. The parents ooked in agreement and thanked the girl for this. She blushed and smiled bashfully as she waved at them, obviously sweet and shy. Monty could not help but give her the tooth-baring smile he always gave the world, and it made her even more redder.

"Sara, sweetie, it's time we should go now," her mother said suddenly, walking over and taking her hand gently. She avoided looking at Monty altogether. "Mommy has to leave with Monty tomorrow morning, so you will be with Grandma and Grandpa again until we get back."

"How long will you be gone?" the child asked, the worry present. Kimberly had clearly not been away from her daughter for such short or long time ever since her husband's death. Kim sighed.

"I don't know, but hopefully not too long. A few days at most."

Sara stopped and looked up at her. "Promise me you will come home?" she asked, looking like she was trying not to cry, which made it even harder for the mother, who knelt down before her and took the little girl into her arms, whispering her promise. Monty exchanged a glance with Bates, who looked very grim at this. There was no telling what would happen while they were all gone, and time was of the essence that their lives depended on it. If Monty deprived that little girl of her mother, then he wasn't sure if he could forgive himself for that.

Since _when_ did he begin to care about others before himself?

 **I never saw the animated "Avatar", but Blue Kitsune did. :) From now on, she's helped with the duration of this story as she does share my love for Monkey Fist and Kim. Next chapter gets MUCH bigger.**

 **The birth of the baby female monkey was inspired by "The Monkey They Named Ron" by VampireNaomi, though it was a boy baby monkey and Ron was honored for saving its life that it earned the name. XD Monkey Fist, the poor bastard, and the fact CHIPPY and another female monkey reproduced without his permission was just priceless. I could not resist having it be Chippy again because it was too perfect.**


	6. The Animal Song

**Yet another song as the title of this latest chapter, this time being one by Savage Garden which makes me cry to this day as it reminds me of young Monty Fiske - and you will soon see why.**

Chapter Five

The Animal Song

"I like him, Mommy," Sara was saying when her mother buckled her into the back seat even though she didn't really need it. "And I like his monkeys. Will I get to see him again when you get back?"

Kim looked away with her eyes, staring at the concrete gravel beneath the car and didn't know how to respond. Fiske never told her what he had been up to the last ten years, or when he came back into the world. It raised so many questions as to why and how the museum let him back amongst their community - and why he wasn't in jail for his crimes. She had to ask Wade to look into this.

"Kim?" Rufus asked, drawing her back to attention.

"I don't know," she said, just about to close the door. "I just don't know yet. Monty and I have a...tough kind of relationship." She winced; to even use the word relationship was beyond inappropriate. And her daughter's face fell, asking why as soon as she got into the car and into the driver's seat. "It's long and complicated. Let's just say that he's done things that other people don't like, myself and your daddy included."

Rufus affirmed, but Sara wasn't satisfied. She wasn't sure how to take the man with monkeys who seemed to like her sounded like a bad man with her mother's words - and in Kim's mind and heart, as well as her memory, that was exactly what he was. He did terrible things, he deserved what he got in the end - and now he was back, with the legendary Blade of Xian involved, retrieved by HIM, so what was he planning now?

He was using her again, like the first time when they met, involving the jade monkey. He might also be doing the same in scoring brownie points with her little girl and her monkey love on his part - but her mother had been watching and noticing how sincere it was. Bates even whispered to her about it when she doubted it; he knew his master better than her. "She's like Lord Fiske when he was that age."

That alone was enough to tell her Monty Fiske wasn't always the way he was, but at the moment, she didn't want to know about his backstory. The present mattered the most, and she was going to get to the bottom of this.

~o~

"Well, that was rather interesting, milord," Bates said as soon as Kim Stoppable and her young daughter as well as the rodent were gone. He had to admit the teenage heroine had grown remarkably well over twelve years, or thirteen, but either way, she was beyond comprehensible to behold in the eyes. As for her daughter, the child looked so much like her mother, with the exception of the fair hair of her late father - and then came along the adoration of the monkeys which not only raptured the attention of Lord Fiske himself, but it also drew Bates' own attention. As he told the young mother, young Monty was so much like the way Sara Stoppable made herself to be, so a wee part of the former valet's mind played worriedly if she might grow up like his master had, but he doubted it given their differed upbringings. The little girl was raised by a loving mother while she lost her father not so long ago. Monty, on the other hand, had a father who never showed his son the love and attention he deserved, leaving it on Bates' shoulders because the servant had a heart to sympathize.

Monty hummed his agreement as he surveyed the scene of the monkey Lili and her newborn - named Katara at the suggestion of young Sara which the monkeys all loved - getting comfortable to rest. "Indeed it was," he spoke. "The child is nothing at all like her buffoon father was." His face split into a smirk. "She's remarkable...reminds me somewhat of myself."

Bates nodded, biting his tongue. It brought back to mind the very first time that Monty as a young boy discovered his first love of monkeys and apes so many years ago.

~o~

 _"Monty? Monty, boy, where are you?"_

 _The nine-year-old was nowhere to be found, and Bates was getting weary. He was only twenty-seven and should not have such difficulties yet, but that boy he witnessed born from his own mother's womb before she succumbed to blood loss and other complications after birthing was hiding from him. Wherever he was, it did not bode well because today was his birthday. Sad fact: his own father had forgotten yet again._

 _Lord Edward Fiske was a wondrous antiquities collector and businessman, but his only son was hardly ever a top priority ever since the death of his beloved wife, which he blamed his child for - and it angered Bates to no end. The baby he held in his arms was not to blame, and he knew that well himself. Seeing his mother in his features was enough to send the father into despair and distance from then on, and the boy sometimes wondered what he did wrong in his life to deserve this treatment, which Bates the valet had no idea how to explain to him._

 _"Montgomery Edward Fiske," he called out, finally dropping onto a stone bench in the rose gardens. The ones siding the bench he sat on were fiery with white brushes underneath the petals, giving off a spicy aroma. If he did not find that boy soon..._

 _"I am sorry, Bates."_

 _Relief washed over him when he heard that voice, but jumped when it was heard BEHIND him. He nearly had a heart attack when he spun around to see a pair of sad, gloomy eyes resembling a storm; his mother's had been bright as the skies overhead, yet did nothing to illuminate the gloom that was one important factor which the young boy mentioned somberly, coming around to plop himself like a proper gentleman besides the older but still young man. Monty sighed and leaned back, his wavy raven hair falling down his neck._

 _"Father forgot my birthday again."_

 _Bates sighed; he wanted to say that it was business again that always kept his father busy, but it was no longer excusable. The boy was getting smarter and smarter each day. He was at the top of his classes thus far, but none of it got Edward Fiske's approval and attention to lavish upon all he had left of his late wife. "He still loves you, Monty," was all he could say at the moment, but the boy snorted and folded his arms across his chest._

 _Monty's eyes darkened, and if it were in the face of an older boy or man at least, the valet could call it a tsunami coming over the mainland with a vengeance. "This never feels like love, Bates; he said he loved Mother, but I never knew her. How can I love someone who doesn't love me back?"_

 _"I wish I knew what to say, Monty, but I also wish I could do something to change this." He reached over and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "You look like your mother, and that is why he is very distant. A man's heart is like fine glass. When it is broken into millions of pieces, I'm afraid he cannot find the means to pick them up and put it back together. He is still not over what he's lost, but if only he saw you without flinching -" He squeezed that shoulder as a small comfort, but it did not change the gloom in the boy's eyes. "- then he would know she was still here." That was exactly what Lord Edward was doing: placing up armor to protect himself and keep from befalling upon harm in his heart ever again, but look what it did to his son in return, the one thing he had left of sweet Lady Catherine._

 _Monty said nothing then, closing his eyes and pulling from the valet's grasp. Bates sighed, having one solution now that it came over, and Lord Fiske wouldn't know until much later. This was his son's birthday, and Bates would gladly risk a birching if he was at it. "If you want to be away from this castle today, we can go to the London Zoo today."_

 _The young boy brightened up then like an immediate illumination of a crystal in light, as though nothing had happened. Monty always wanted to go to the zoo, but his father constantly was busy or just simply forgot, and Bates always planned to take matters into his own hands. His charge's happiness mattered more to him than anything or anyone; his family served the Fiske family for five generations, and this was not simply because of that._

~o~

That day was life-changing for young Monty, a sweet and innocent little boy shunned by his father - and the first trip to the London Zoo to see the wildlife was the shot taken by Bates. From the lions to the zebra, the sea lions - and the newest of that species recently imported - but then it came to the monkeys that really did the trick.

Bates could never forget how young Monty let loose a cry of excitement as he ran ahead, looking at the various tree monkeys and the chimpanzees, not yet knowing the differences between monkeys and apes in terms of one species bearing tails and the other not, but he was intrigued anyways. The valet watched from a distance as the boy enjoyed how the monkeys would swing from branch to branch inside their cages, feasted on bananas and toyed with the others - and then it came to a family nurturing their young, in which his face fell, which Bates rushed to his side right away.

"I wish I was like them," Monty had said softly, not looking up at his caregiver. "Just look at how the mothers are in their lives, their fathers protecting - and that's not me." And that was not entirely all that tore him up internally. "I wish I was wild and free like them, where nothing else matters."

By the end of that day, Lord Fiske exploded on his son going off and with the valet without consultation, resulting in a strike to young Monty's face, and when Bates expected worse treatment given he was responsible, Edward Fiske simply threatened to fire him if this happened again without his permission. If that occurred, then young Monty would have no one left to take care of him. Bates knew he had to be more discreet and plan carefully to make his charge happy from then on. After being dismissed, he had made way straight for the young boy's room, finding him looking out the window and seeing the sky turn dark, reflecting the mood that had changed in him. A wonderful day ending sourly - but he soon told Bates it had been worth it, and he had to agree.

Following more occasional visits to the zoo - namely the monkeys and apes - Monty couldn't have been happier than Bates remembered him. He took him as often as he could until he was reaching teenage years, and Monty Fiske was becoming a dignified young man.

"You, of course, do recall the first time I brought you to the London Zoo?" Bates dared to ask, getting a slight frown for a moment before it faded with surprise.

"Hmm, I have not thought of that for years. Yes." Monty rubbed his chin in thought. "I was a boy - nine, if I am not mistaken. The day that began the change of my life."

Bates nodded. "My entire doing, my lord. And your father who could not have been what I was to you up to this point."

Monty hummed in thought before his face returned to being stoic. "Yes..." He stopped there as if unsure of how to respond as it was clear what his former valet and caregiver was implying. He never forgot those years he had been there for young Monty when the elder Lord Fiske was never around him. "What does this...oh, never mind," he said, remembering the young Miss Stoppable who was the daughter of two of his former greatest enemies. "She is much younger than I when I found my love for the simians, Bates. However..." His eyes darkened. "...I envy her."

Bates did not need to ask why. Monty was jealous of Sara because she had a mother who loved her when Monty himself never knew his own, and she was deprived of her father of a much earlier age than the younger Fiske had of his. They differed and yet were so similar in almost every way - and the one person to hopefully bind that together was none other than Kim Stoppable.

~o~

Sara was back into her room while Kim was in the one she once shared with Ron, packing enough gear and regular garments just to be on the safe side. Rufus was helping her, and Wade was on the Kimmunicator strapped to her wrist to this day. He had dug up enough information on Lord Monty Fiske in the last ten years, and the first seven years were vague as he had been missing before being pronounced dead then...before popping up out of the blue some days after the official declaration.

"He was thought to be dead for seven years," Kim stated, sitting down in disbelief, "and then comes up with an excuse of being lost in the Japanese mountains before finding his way back in hopes of starting fresh!" What kind of man gave an excuse like that and thought he could get away with the level of atrocities he committed?

Wade was very confident but also as uneasy as she was. _"Exactly, I asked myself that. But according to English court records, Lord Fiske entered rehab for six months before he was released, cleared by means of insanity by a family lawyer."_

Kim snorted. "Obviously."

"Yeah!" Rufus huffed.

 _"According to the therapeutical records, in addition, he was said to have suffered immense stress and vivid dreams of his adventures, but the details of that are sealed away that I can't even hack in,"_ Wade reported guiltily, but it wasn't like he didn't try. Sometimes a great genius had limits. _"Whatever he suffered in the Dark Destroyer's world, it must have done him worse than we all thought."_ He took a drink of his soda water.

She took her time to think this over. Monty Fiske was affected badly during his "walk of the Yono's path", and yet he covered it with his old shell with the pretense of moving on from his past. He hadn't changed a bit - or not completely. "Maybe now, with the famed weapon of Xian in the picture - and now me," she added, "he might be finding another way to get himself some closure."

Wade shrugged and smiled. _"Maybe."_ But then it was gone as quickly as it came. _"But what about trying to be the Ultimate Monkey Master, Kim? You think he's still trying to get back to that again? I could not find any reported crimes regarding stolen monkey artifacts anywhere in the last three years since his return."_

"Oh, darn it, I almost forgot about that." She had been wrapped up in this now as well as comforted by the fact her daughter had him around her little finger that Kim let his obsession slip from her mind. "If I can find a way to get that information out of him..." she mused, half to herself and half to Wade and Rufus.

 _"Yeah, good luck with that. Maybe he's trying to move on from that because he learned his lesson,"_ the genius suggested, which she still highly doubted but hoped on it.

"I hope so. If not, then it's back to the old ways in which I kick his butt and haul him back to jail where he belongs," she told them both with a grin - but then she remembered how much Sara adored Monty already, and the picture of her devastated little face came to mind. It would hurt, but when she grew up, she would understand why. In the meantime, tomorrow morning was the time. Soon, she would be taking Sara to her grandparents so that Kim would not waste time departing ahead of time with Lord Monty Fiske, her unwitting travel companion.

She would also have time to get the man to spill his beans, knowing she could handle any explosions of his as she did in the past.

 **I thought I was going to get to a certain great, big part of the story in this chapter, but it seemed that some exploration of Monty's past was in order if not everything at once. I read so many different stories of his past, some stating his parents pretended to love each other for his sake, others how he was pushed to become what he is now, and another when he loved monkeys and archaeology since he was a child, so it was kinda tough to find a balance there. There wasn't a story I found thus far in which his mother died giving birth to him, but anyone, please feel free to surprise me. In addition, I knew that he wasn't always the megalomaniac that we know him as; he had to be a wonderful little boy in the beginning.**


	7. Destiny

**Kim's new look is inspired by Evelyn O'Connell in "The Mummy Returns". :) Mature, smart and sexy in one.**

Chapter Six

Destiny

The morning of Middleton in springtime was mild, and early in the morning was below sixty that his skin was chilled. He pulled his coat around himself and inhaled through his nose, breathing in the fresh air. "Not long now," he murmured.

The pilots were doing the last checking to the engine, oil tank and every system of the charter on its landing pad. He had to stand outside and survey everything as the sole rightful owner. Bates was already on board, for he deserved to be. The monkey ninjas surrounded him loyally, awaiting his command. Everything was as it should be, thus far, but there was one thing left - or should he say, one _person_ left to wait for?

Looking overhead, Monty watched as the light blue sky became brighter because of the daylight savings period in this zone. Soon, the sun would wash over his face with its warm grace, and he would close his eyes to relish it momentarily - and then he heard _her_ voice.

"Well, I am ready when you are, Lord Fiske."

"I gladly awaited patiently for your arrival, Mrs. Stoppable," he replied, turning around to see her coming his way, her bag slung over one shoulder but appeared to be stuffed with anything she needed on the trip. She was hoping the flight to England and back would be brief because she had a child to return to as soon as possible. Oh, how he wished it was completely possible. "If there is nothing left to do, shall we get going?"

She nodded but stopped in front of him to lift her chin at him. The wind gushed softly again, giving him a whiff of her perfume. Musky amber, sweet jasmine and exotic wood - everything that embodied the woman she was now compared to the girl she had once been. This Kim before him was mature, confident and more commanding than she was then.

"Ladies first," Monty said, stepping aside for her to go, doing his best to control the urges his body harbored. He had to remind himself this was business, not pleasure, and they did not need to remind each other. He watched as she lifted her chin before boarding the charter, and then he ordered the monkeys to follow him afterwards, hearing the bridge being pulled into the entrance before the door closed securely behind. Finally, after a long time of waiting - but his private moment of glory was interrupted when Kim whirled around and locked fierce green eyes with him. Oh, the lush fire.

"Let's get one thing straight, Lord Fiske: you owe me the entire explanation about this because we have four hours, maybe five, with each other and hardly any interruptions. Understood?"

Monty smirked. "You have my word."

She said no more and turned her back to him then, and they were both showed down the aisle until they were both given a first class seat next to a window. He sat on one end and she on the other, sparing each other the burden of bodily contact side-by-side. For her maybe, but not he. Correction: he was spared getting unexpected arousal at a time like this. He might have animal instincts, but he was still a man. But both men and animal both had that kind of need.

Fiske felt his lungs tighten as he watched her remove her coat while her bag was placed overhead in the bunk. The long khaki covering revealed utter mature sex appeal in a sheer black blouse over a tight ivory tank as well as black leather trousers and boots. Very intelligent and sophisticated, flattering - and _ravishing_. Monty hadn't realized his jaw had been hanging when she cleared her throat with both eyebrows raised.

"Are you ready to go, my lord?"

He frowned before changing it immediately and smiled. "When am I never not ready?" he answered smoothly, gesturing with his hand to let her sit down first. She sniffed at him before tossing her coat down and seating, smoothing her blouse. No midriff baring, he noticed, which disappointed him. He shrugged off his own coat, showing his cargo jacket and trousers; beneath was a crisp, see-through white shirt that he had no heart to reveal to her just yet.

"Would you care for some champagne, Kimberly?" he asked, intending to be a gracious host even if she thought he wasn't. He looked up when one of the attendants came and took the order. Of course, she accepted, but only because he asked, and he saw it in her eyes.

"Are you going to get me drunk?" she challenged, a ghost of a smile tugging at her lips.

He chuckled. "Not likely. Just a...small celebration of my call. Is there anything wrong with just a drink amongst partners?"

Her lip curled then. "We're not partners."

"On the contrary," Monty said smoothly when the flutes finally came, "we are delivering the Blade of Xian back safely to the museum to ensure its stable security, so that it is not taken again." His gloved fingers picked up the stem of his glass and raised it to her, but she glared at him and that mockery at once.

"You put this up," Kim accused, "because that's what all of this is. This is just like the first time we met: so you can use me to get what you want again. What are you playing at now?"

~o~

Kim decided now was the time instead of wasting time during four or five hours of flying and ignoring him like an adolescent. "You put this up because that's all what all of this is," she said hotly. "This is just like the first time we met: so you can use me to get what you want again. What are you playing at now?" She had her hands down at her sides, clenching them from his eyes' range, wishing she could pierce her own skin and draw blood...

"I am not even close to completely playing you for a fool, Kimberly," Fiske stated, eyes cold as his voice was, the foreign politeness gone and replaced with ferocity matching hers. "You are bold to dredge up the past. I confess that I did play you for a fool that one time, but I have no regrets about that. Only this time is more than Mystical Monkey Power."

Kim seethed internally, growling through her teeth and knowing better. "Really, and it's nothing to do with the fact that _Xian_ is linked to the Yono?" she returned. "And speaking of the Yono..."

As expected, he cut her off harshly. "I don't believe saying his name is allowed on my watch," he warned, but he would not stop her there.

"The last time we saw each other, you were turned to stone, so how is it that you are here now?"

He hummed defiantly, but he _did_ answer her. Smart move. "Bates and the monkey ninjas rescued me," Monty answered. His gloved fingers let go of the full flute and clasped before him. His face remained stoic. "They retrieved my petrified form and brought me back to the castle. I'm afraid I cannot reveal the entirety of my oblivion to you at the present as you must understand how deeply it..." His gaze hardened to the point of becoming as solid as the Great Wall of China. "...affected me. Such things are best left unspoken for the sake of what is left of your sanity." He chuckled deeply even though he wasn't smiling.

Kim did believe what he was telling her so far, but he would not tell her what he did while in Yono's world. He was really hell-bent on protecting his dignity that much. She snarled to herself; men and their egos. "Fine, but after that, you entered rehab," she stated, and his eyes narrowed.

"Should I be the least bit surprised that your tech friend hacked into my records? Well, as you can see, I have been good thus far -"

"But it does not answer my question about the Blade of Xian."

Monty sighed heavily, expression relaxing but now irritated. "Very well. To make the story short, I might have escaped the Yono's imprisonment, but I am in no way completely free of his influence. I still harbor his power combined with the Mystical Monkey Power - but I am still in danger. I spent some time looking through the archives to see any counteracts to the Yono, in every ancient text I could grasp..." His face split into a proud smile. "...and there was the story of Xian. I regret not delving deeper into the Yono's legends further than I did prior, but it is not too late for me."

She reeled. He was trying to escape the Yono, but nothing had been easy to find the solution - and he got her into this! He DID play her for a fool again, but damn it, she was an archaeologist like him; why didn't she see this before he told her? She should have figured out this answer a long time ago.

He sought out the famed weapon of the goddess enemy of the Dark Destroyer whose power this man got, and because he believed he could face the evil monkey god so he could get away with it? Her mind - a fraction - told her he might be telling her, in his own way, that he was trying to atone for his atrocious actions of the past, no wrongs done as of late, but she didn't know what to think anymore. "You think that by getting that weapon of the Divine herself that you can kill the immortal Yono and save your sorry self."

Fiske's smile was gone immediately, and his lip curled. "Kimberly, I knew you would not understand," he said icily. "Judge me instead of see reason, I anticipated that." He closed his eyes and leaned back.

"Because why would you try and escape the punishment you deserve?" Kim went on, but even though she spoke the truth, her subconscious was telling her that no one, no matter what they did, deserved that fate. It was telling her to stop fighting this, stop running, and to help. The museum knew nothing about this truth that he was telling her; could she at least accept for now that he was being honest with her this time around unlike the first?

"Because I realize the mistake I made making a deal with the Yono," Monty answered, looking at her again, but his expression did not change - and his eyes told another story. They were filled with everything that made her light - NO! She let it control her hormones and nearly destroyed her and Ron, but Ron wasn't here... _what was wrong with her?!_ "I have not quenched my need to be the Ultimate Monkey Master, but I confess I was too hasty and impatient." Kim was raging more fire; so he had NOT gotten over his obsession. He must think he could take the easy way out; well, she did promise Wade she would fight him again when the time came. If she jumped now, everything was shattered. "Yono called me arrogant, brash and hungry for power, and while I do let words like that fall deaf on my own ears, I have not let go of who or what I still am. Kim Stoppable, you are all I have to destroy the Yono once and for all."

The entire time he was speaking, the plane was taking off and she'd not paid attention to the feel of the impact of raising off the ground and into the air, thirty thousand feet and soaring out of Middleton. "You're asking me to side with you as you challenge your eternal master to a duel which seems foolproof," Kim pointed out, almost laughing. "Have you forgotten his petrifying abilities?" Her mind played back to Master Sensei and Rufus, then herself, but unknowing when baby Hana was the savior against the monkey god. She didn't want to have Hana, now ten years old, involved this time.

"Foolproof? I have utter confidence in this. The blade is the one that Xian herself used to drive the Yono back into the earth where he still rests...where I will return and destroy him once and for all."

"You haven't changed a bit," she said disgustedly, finding it in herself to reach for her champagne and taking a small sip. Looking over the rim, she saw him raise both eyebrows before narrowing them into a straight line.

"And you have," he replied, then leaned forward. "Kimberly, you've come too far to back away now."

"And it wasn't like I had a choice in this!"

His finger raised to silence her which set her off. "No, it wasn't, but believe me this time when I say it is destiny, and you can never fight destiny."

Kim laughed. She'd heard him say that before, and look what it got him. "Was it really destiny for you to find the blade, then? With or without the museum's permission?" she asked coyly.

~o~

Obdurate woman! She was making him want to erupt with such fury that a fight would be necessary - but he shoved it down for the sake of it. He snarled through his teeth at her before clenching his jaw and taking a few deep breaths to cool his temper. "I do not have to answer that, Kimberly, because if I was never meant to have the Blade of Xian, then I never would have found it successfully. The museum's permission has nothing to do with this.

"So, you want to know more even though I did give you my account with William when I arrived," Monty said, still angry inside that she was still trying to resist him even though he knew he was cracking her under pressure. "I was telling you the truth when I climbed the mountain alone - even though Bates and the monkeys attended with me - and I reached the nearly topmost peak of the great canyon. It was grueling, but it had been worth it."

"And what was it like to hold that long-missing weapon with your own two hands?"

He remembered watching her from her opened doorway when she held Xian's blade in her hands, and the sound of silver steel on bronze-gold was exhilarating, matching what he had experienced, which slipped through his lips. "It was beyond what I imagined - dare I say even more when I gained the Mystical Monkey Power?" he asked mischievously. "When I found the cave entrance, it was like entering the mouth of the beast that I would gladly risk as I always did. The temple itself was vast beyond your wildest dreams, not that it would ever be a surprise to either of us. The weapon lay upon the altar itself, which was a statue of Xian the Divine in both hands." He sighed as though having a physical release, just like he had that one single night ending in defeat with her in his arms. "Unfortunately," he said with another growl, "those blasted protectors caught onto me when I should have realized it. Every temple of a renowned deity - save for the Yono - has a legion of them, but I got away unscathed as I told you before."

"Yeah, yeah, and like I asked: how did it FEEL to hold the blade when you unsheathed it?" Kim interrupted impatiently. He sighed sharply at her impatience.

"Very intoxicating, like I never wanted to let it go." And to imagine how it would feel when he would truly use the weapon against the one he traded his soul for but would reclaim it back very soon...

She sniffed again. "And now they are after you - now us, since they must know I am involved now," she said. "Just great." The sarcasm was there, he noted smoothly. "Well, I guess I can't say no anymore, can I, since you did fill me in on enough of what I wanted to know?"

Monty beamed, thrilled like he had been when he was a young boy and Bates took him to the monkeys for the first time. "A wise choice. How interesting is this now?" he asked with both his still-clasped hands in front of him, resting beneath his chin. "The two of us really working together instead of against each other." Could this get any better for them now?

"Well, now that we have established our partnership on official terms, put aside our differences now - how do you feel about some breakfast?"

~o~

She was given a fabulous British breakfast that suddenly made her lose her appetite despite its exquisite finery - roasted tomatoes, eggs and some salmon, but maybe it was because of the early morning and the little champagne she shouldn't have had, but at least he offered her English breakfast tea which happened to be his favorite. He was being good to her thus far; how could she rebuff him when they were thirty thousand feet in the sky and with nowhere else to run? And when his monkey ninjas were aboard and feasting on bananas but otherwise on their best behavior?

It was not hard to take in everything now: he needed the Blade of Xian to free himself from the Yono's hold once and for all, he still wanted to be the Monkey Master despite his good behavior in the last three years - he really was that patient after all this time - and he got her into this because he needed her. Well, she did accept that he told her the truth so far...but it still did not make everything right.

She really wanted to believe he could change, be the naïve girl she used to be, but a man like Monty Fiske never changed his ways any more than a leopard could change its spots. But his words and actions so far were a little farther away from his stealthy, trickster's methods of the ninja - except for the main item involved which was safely locked away in the back and on guard.

For the next couple hours, they did move away from the topic of Xian the goddess, her weapon in safe keeps, and everything related to business - and much to her own relief as well as his, they did not argue over their differences. Instead, he asked her questions about herself and how well she was in the archaeological field, then onto Sara and how she became Kim's top priority. Talking about her daughter was the highlight of it all, going on about how karate was good enough if close enough to the cheerleading her mother excelled at. But a someday career goal? That was Sara's decision, one her mother did not have to worry about right now.

But then this one question shook her world, because he had to ask her without shame.

"Why have you not begun to pursue...other men?"

Kim choked on her tea then. He blatantly - and maybe blaringly - and boldly asked her why she was still single after two years, and it enraged her to no end. How DARE he?! Recovering and swallowing down some water, she looked him in the eyes and saw the absence of remorse. "Wasn't it obvious? My daughter needs me, and she's all I have left of Ron."

"So I understand, but I doubt that is the only reason," he said with a drink of his own steaming beverage. "If you ask me, you are straying from finding a new lover and possible father of your child in an attempt to avoid the hardships of discovering another love like your dear Ronald..." That was the snap of her thread that she decided enough was enough. Angrily but still cool outside, she excused herself and turned around in the opposite direction to go to the restroom.

She screamed in pain, inside and out, then burst into a flood of fiery tears that spilled down her cheeks. How and WHY would he do this to her?! He didn't once give a damn about her feelings and disgraced her late husband because he thought he could get another shot at her again! Yes, that had to be it. She did not miss the way he looked her over, no different than when she went to him unarmed and vulnerable in the letter, the idiot girl she'd been when she should have known better.

She didn't know the direction that night would turn, but Ron had been right when he told her she had time to think about this on the plane. She'd been so stupid and having a lack of common sense then. She'd thought a sort of treaty would be established, but no...

 _His teeth were on her right breast now, not giving her time to relax, but it was not like he ever gave a warning. She cried out when his canines nibbled her nipple, but it was so damned good that she wanted more. He abandoned that breast then and moved onto its partner, giving it the treatment and then elevating his body upwards as he brought his hips up to meet with hers. It was coming..._

Kim wailed again before she forced her jaw to clench and keep it inside. Someone could very much hear her - Fiske, for example - and see her weakness. But she had a damned good reason to feel like this. Monty Fiske was tormenting her, and he was driving her off the edge that she wanted so much to stop him. Except he was bringing his masculine power over her feminine strength so good and well she hated it. That night he did, and now was no exception.

She knew she needed to pull herself together and go back out to face him. She would tell him straight out about her feelings - if you could call them that - about what he was doing to her, and if he didn't stop, then he would be on his own whether he liked it or not. She didn't care anymore what happened, selfish as it sounded...

By the time she was done washing her face, she looked at her reflection in the mirror to see her cheeks and the areas around her eyes red. This she could not help, but if Monty asked, then she would face him with this. She was strong.

But when she opened the door to go back out into the aisle, she found herself face-to-face with a hooded figure in all white. She had time to dodge a swipe to the face and rolled beneath the intruder, knowing based on instinct that the disciples of Xian had come on the Fiske family charter.

They had come for the Blade.

 **Yeah, Monty has not changed a bit in toying with her, despite the fact he knows he needs her in on this. I realize based on discussions that he's still hated because he has not yet repented for his past actions (and Kim's words, too), but that will come if not right now. Meanwhile, uh oh. :O Trouble has caught up to Kim and Monty. Stay tuned!**


	8. A Change in Dynamics

Chapter Seven

A Change in Dynamics

He knew what he was doing from the start, and to cross that boundary that was inquiring about her current single status despite the obvious reason for it, Monty had to see how she would respond to her status and the fact that she was frightened of being with another man following the tragedy of Ron Stoppable.

Monty snickered to himself as he turned to look out the window, seeing the oasis of puffy white serving as the horizon for the spacious, unlimited blue beyond. He wasn't surprised she hadn't found another mate to the likes of herself since then; on the other hand, why not? A beautiful, strong, feisty woman like herself must have swarms of male suitors on her doorstep from then on, and she would always be available to answer to their calls - but then any of them could leave like frightened mice chased by cats once they discovered she had a daughter.

She was still alone in her amorous life because she was not yet ready to let Ronald go, and she wasn't willing to give into any of his whims, which proved that he had a lot to cut for himself. No matter.

Since they both digested their small breakfast, he should call the flight attendant and request the luncheon...but then his attention was shifted down the aisle when he saw the familiar figure falling into the beginning of the aisle. Kim was engaging in a fight - and with another human being garbed in all white, towering over her with graceful fist throws and kicks too sophisticated for her likes, nearly matching his own.

"Excuse me!" he shouted, jumping up from his seat. "I don't believe you were checked to fly. You are trespassing!"

The figure in white - a Xian worshipper and protector of the weapon - stopped for the moment to look up at him with fire-filled eyes, recognizing him at once, and risking a kick to the abdomen, thrown back against the wall by Kim who regained her footing and jumped back so she was in front of him. "Thanks, but I got this under control!" she said, throwing her shorter hair back out of habit - a habit that Monty found sensual.

He laughed. "I see that, but you can use my skills given I know you do not work well solo."

Where were the monkey ninjas? He shouted for them, but they did not come. Instead, he got the collective ooking and shrieking from the distance, but none of them came. Not even Bates. Something told Monty they were all restrained somehow from coming to aid; the Xian followers were very sophisticated that even he could not catch up to some of their methods.

"You stole the goddess' divine weapon, Monkey Mortal, and now you will pay."

Those words did not come from the one before him and Kim - _behind._ Growling, Monty whirled around with his hands raised, throwing out the first blow, but the other warrior was anticipating and blocked that fist of his. She then ducked another strike from him, but she delivered the return and hit him in midsection, but his abdominal pain was the least of his problems that he did not let her strike him again. He leaped over her and delivered a kick which sent her spiraling to the side, onto the table between the next seat to his right. He had her down and pounced atop her, ready to bring his fist down to her face and not afraid to do it.

Unfortunately, she blocked his hand again and drove him off of her. Oh, the little fool thought she could stand a chance against the Master of Monkey Kung Fu, did she? He wasn't sure if this was the same one he confronted when he took the deity's weapon from its sacred place, but she certainly fought like it, except the followers of Xian were all the same, not only because of the fact they were an all-female ensemble. He chuckled at the irony. Xian had all women, Han had both sides, and Yono had none as he had been casted down in defeat.

Either way, the followers of these deities were a race of warriors, trained well in the arts.

He didn't need to look to see how Kim was faring; she was handling herself very well with her vixen grace and strength he recalled, and despite the last couple years, she hadn't lost her touch. However, he doubted she would fare better in the ninja technique that Xian's disciples mastered. He should help her, but right now he had his own problem to face. These two were the only ones they were facing thus far...

...unless there were _more_ in the back.

There was a call in the back. Monty quickly looked up but caught the woman he was fighting at the ankle with one of his feet interlocking, and then both of her wrists pinned down as he dominated her, seeing two more white-clad figures at the end carrying a narrow box at each end - _the Blade of Xian._

"They have the blade!" he yelled over to Kimberly behind him, then realized what a fool he was to let himself be kicked off the warrior beneath him, falling onto his back - and the buzz of white passed over his eyes along with the black one that was Kim as she ran after them, despite not having her gear attached. She thought she could go after them with what saving the world instincts she had left. Monty gingerly picked himself up as he moved to follow her, knowing better than to hastily rush after these elite women when they got what they came for. They had backups that neither he nor Kim had at the moment.

One of the emergency exits was opened that all four had jumped out, and Kim after them before she made to grab the edge, not bothering to scream as she was not some helpless damsel in distress, but Monty Fiske was there for her because she would end up falling to her death for this unless he did something soon...

One of his hands lashed out and grabbed her wrist just as it slipped and let go of the edge of the plane. His strength held him around the doorway as he pulled her back to safety, her body coming into contact with his. He held her close as he hit the button to seal and lock the door back. There was no time to see if those women ninjas made it alive down there, knowing they were flying over the Atlantic Ocean. He chuckled; he wouldn't be surprised if they made it into a shark pit - but then that meant the Blade of Xian would be lost forever if that happened. He shoved that thought to the back of his mind and focused on the woman whose life he had just saved, in place of losing the weapon he fought hard for.

He felt her hands on his chest, pushing him away. "Lord Fiske, will you please let me go?" Chuckling, he released her.

"I apologize."

She dusted herself off. "I had this under control, you know."

Monty scowled at her. "Such as going after them when you could have fallen to your death without proper gear? Honestly, Kimberly, I think two years has caused you to soften up in places," he pointed out, arms folded in front of him.

"Yeah, and the fact those ninjas took the blade!" she added, mimicking his sign. "So, now what do we do? Let them get away with it, or do we gear up now and go after them?"

He pondered this. Knowing them, they would reclaim back the prize and have their own faster means of transportation back to the shrine of their beloved goddess, return it to its rightful place and with greater, tighter security than before. If not in the same place as he'd found it, then be damned, but he was prepared for this and would ensure Kim would do the same. "We go after them, indeed, but first we have to break the word to the museum by the time we land. They won't refuse our request to go after them," he said with a slight smile. "We are not giving up, I promise you that."

She didn't argue with him on that, agreeing with him. They turned around and found Bates as well as the monkey ninjas all as he predicted: tied up and against each other, gagged as well. "Oh, all of you," he said in exasperation to his minions, leaving Kim to untie Bates, "you are all trained in the way of the ninja, and you couldn't stop those elite disciples?!"

One of them, Miko, ooked the response once he was freed after Chippy. They were more advanced than Mystical Monkey Power, not at all different from his master's musings. Fiske sighed and bowed his head. "Oh, well, you are indeed correct. But that does not mean we all stop here," he declared after three more were released. "We proceed as planned."

He looked over when Bates grunted as he rubbed his wrists and ankles after Kimberly sliced through the impressive rope with her pocket knife. "Milord, you are serious about this?" he asked timidly. Monty exhaled.

"Of course I am. I recovered that magical weapon of legend, and I will return to the place if I have to. I vowed it would not end here."

~o~

"The Blade of Xian is gone!"

Kim nodded, lowering her eyes. To even break the news to her friend was heartwrenching; from the corner of her eye, she saw Fiske lower his eyes as well, but it was not only because he regretted failure, but because he was hell-bent on getting the weapon back to save his soul from Yono. He didn't want another minute to waste than it had already happened.

"I'm sorry, William," she said, clasping her hands in front of her as she and the lord sat before the benefactor who was grieving internally. "We tried to stop them."

Monty raised his eyes then, a smile forming. "Mrs. Stoppable would have risked her life to go after them, and I rushed to her aid," he said smoothly. "You should have seen her." She found herself looking at him in surprise. He was...praising her, calling her remarkable without making a sarcastic comment. His eye turned in her direction and gave her a slighter smile before it reverted to a somber expression.

Those Xian worshippers jumped out of the charter and she tried to go after them only to remember she didn't have her parachute or anything on her, the last minute regret coming as soon as she'd grabbed that edge of the exit - only for none other than Monty to grab her and pull her back in, saving her skin. She supposed she owed him for that.

Robertson sighed and reached to rub his eyes after removing his glasses. "No doubt about it, the two of you working together. I don't suppose I should refuse the request of letting you both go back to Japan and retrieve it," he said, looking back at them both. Now he could finally give them a slight smile. "It would be an honor for the two of you to do this. I have no doubt about it."

Kim returned the smile. "We won't let you down, William," she answered, but when she turned to look at Monty, his smile was broader. Full of confidence - but something told her she would end up in something much deeper than what happened on the plane, and it would not be just that the Xian ninjas would try to stop her and Monty.

"We can leave as soon as now," he told Dr. Robertson, standing first, and she followed him. The older man was final when he canted his head forward.

"I would say good luck to you both, but I don't think luck will be the case." Kim chewed her lip briefly; luck wasn't a word she would use anymore, either. "May your journey be small, Lord Fiske, Mrs. Stoppable."

She and Monty left the office side-by-side. "I look forward to this very much," he told her proudly, making her laugh.

"Of course you do, but I wish I could say exciting if I were sixteen again. Times have changed."

He snorted, which was supposed to be her job. "Quite - but not everything." He looked down at her and bared his teeth, showing his whites, which twinkled as brightly as they did when she saw his face on the Knowing Channel for the first time when she was fifteen.

~o~

Mount Fuji was just dead ahead even if they were a day's journey left. He breathed through his nose purely out of habit, never mind the fresh air around him and Kimberly as they were driven in the jeep by their guide commissioned because this time, Monty knew him very well, given the old man did business with his father eighteen years before, six of those years being before Edward Fiske passed from cancer.

"I could not have thanked you enough, Kato," he told the man as he sat behind him. Kimberly was in the front as the lady, taking in the sight around them, notably the cherry blossoms in bloom and the pale pink petals flying about them sweetly.

The man chuckled before coughing. He was sick as of late, to which Kim had lectured him on about the man's age. "It was the least I could do, Monty, since your father, rest him, and I were friends for a long time. You really have done well for yourself; he would have been proud of you."

Monty sighed and looked ahead at the majesty before them, where the prize awaited in greater protection within the depths of the peak. "Yes," he answered absently. "He would have been proud."

Kim turned her face halfway around and regarded him questioningly but didn't ask him, not because he didn't want her to, but because suddenly the vehicle lost control due to a flattening in the right lower front - the wheel - and then they lost control and ran off the road, landing upside down within the forest. Monty's head suffered an immense pain that his vision went black, and he did not remember anything else but Kim's cries of horror.

When he returned to being, his vision was blurred, and his head was monstrously pounding, but this wasn't anything new. However, a head injury wasn't something Monty had to be concerned about, because he found himself laying on the earth, surrounded by growing grass and wildflowers...and the jeep lay turned on its side, the frontal window shattered into shards, parts bent, and _Kimberly_ lay sprawled on her side. Her eyes were closed, a line of blood across her forehead, and something inside him snapped as he jumped to his feet and leaped over to crouch before her.

"Kimberly!"

Monty took her into his arms and held her. Using his teeth, he tore his glove off and brought his finger to the base of her neck where her vein still throbbed. She was still alive and not in critical condition. He heaved a sigh of relief - but then his attention diverted from her and found Kato still in the jeep, feeling his jaw drop in utter horror. Kim moaned and stirred, but he altered half his attention between her and the horrid sight before them.

Kato was dead.

And the cause: the front right wheel of the jeep had been shot with an arrow so the vehicle was disabled - and by who other than Xian's followers?

 **It was difficult emotionally for me to do this to their guide at the end, given we never usually see this sort of thing happen on the show itself, but it was also necessary. Even though Kato is a minor character, it was important to show another part of Monty's past in a small way instead of this one being an acquaintance of Kim, and what other way than the fact of his father knowing this man long before he died?**

 **Now we are getting hotter. :D The duo on their feet and making way for the mountain for their prize.**


	9. Jungle Odyssey

**Sans spoilers, enjoy advancement in the frustrating relationship of Monty and Kim as they pursue the Blade of Xian on foot.**

 **I also understand it was difficult for some of you to not care entirely for Kato as this is the first and only time we see him, but he was indeed a part of Monty's past to make us really care enough.**

Chapter Eight

Jungle Odyssey

It all happened so fast that Kim was not sure what had caused it, and Monty as well as Mr. Kato did not see this coming as she hadn't. She recalled being thrown from the vehicle as it spiraled into the air and onto earth, skidding, and Monty was thrown, too. She blacked out for some time that was lost, and when she found herself returning to consciousness, she found herself being held in a pair of strong arms; her skull pounded like a madman that she wanted to pass out again.

 _"Kimberly...!"_

She heard that voice, knew who it was, because who _else_ could it be? There was no one else with her but HIM, and Kato wouldn't hold her this way; besides, not to offend, he was elderly if still in good shape physically - but with the exception of a mild temporary sickness that made her snap at Fiske for even contacting him to help them. He blatantly disregarded it for their sakes; he really still wasn't much of a people person. However, he told her this man knew his father so many years ago before the old man died. Kim was surprised by this information as she realized she never once thought about his family history, other than the known fact his father was an antiquities collector, which might have inspired Monty Fiske to become an archaeologist.

Her vision was white before it slowly cleared and showed the blue sky overhead - and a shadow covered her vision before it refocused and showed a handsome face with sharp blue eyes darker than the sky she just saw. Eyes filled with concern for her life - and something else along the lines of sorrow. Why? It wasn't like she was dying of her injury.

Her brain clicked, and her eyes widened. "Kato!" she gasped, reaching up with one hand to grasp Monty's shoulder. "Is he all right?"

His attention changed then, looking ahead instead of down at her. She followed it and almost screamed. Kato lay there in the jeep, having not been moved yet because he already saw the old man was dead and thought to tend for her instead. It was cruel to leave the corpse there like that, but it was also necessary because she was going to live. She moaned at the lingering pain in her cranium, which he noticed and shook his head, standing up but keeping his hold on her, carrying her like his new bride towards the wrecked site.

Monty helped her sit down on the side facing up. "I should never have gotten him involved. I should have listened to you, Kimberly." He knelt before the dead man and bowed his head, bringing his hands up - one still covered with a glove and the other not, showing calloused fingers and a hairy back - in prayer as he asked God for the repose of this man's soul, wishing him a safe journey into the afterlife. Kato meant that much to him even though Monty hadn't seen him in so long a time.

"He was an old friend of my father's," Monty said softly when he was finished, resting his hands on his knees and rolling his shoulders back and forth to pop the bones. "Kato was nearly a stranger, but he was very fond of me as I was to him. I cost him his own life."

Remembering how harsh she had been, Kim decided that she should atone and help him. "He was an old man, but he still had a good heart," she said, wincing when she tried to smile. But he didn't so much.

"It's not the same as you and Ronald, but I suppose this is what it feels like to lose a part of your life."

Before when he brought her husband up the way he did, she'd been angered and hurt beyond repair, but right now she didn't feel the need to have it rubbed into herself, or to rub it into him. "Monty...he did this for us because you asked, and I doubt he would have known that this might happen. You can't hold yourself responsible for things that just went beyond your capacity." Those words had been just like the ones told to her by others at Ron's funeral. No one blamed her for his death; Ron knew what he was doing and chose to do it for the ones he loved. Though she had not known him long, Kato seemed to be a nice man, and Monty had known him if not all that well.

He didn't respond; was it because he was holding back his emotions that well, or he just simply did not know what to say? "I'll help you get him out of there," Kim offered, ignoring her headache for the moment and kneeling down beside him, strong enough for this.

"You're right," he said at last, though devoid of any emotion. Stoned, expressionless. Together, they reached for the dead man, but Kim had to reach up and undo the seatbelt to make it easier. Once they had Kato's body out of the vehicle, they laid him down on the grass, surrounded by wavering tall grass and flowers, some cherry blossom petals coming their way to comfort them if temporarily. Kim sat by and watched as Monty did the rest in folding the man's hands across his chest and placing his uncovered hand across the cold, dead forehead. Maybe now was the time to get a hold of Wade and see if he could send someone to reclaim the body. They still had a job to do, but they couldn't just leave the poor man out here alone to be food for wildlife.

Her friend was beyond shocked after she related the events that took place. _"Oh, man, this was not what I expected."_

"Tell me about it," she agreed, closing her eyes. "You should see how he is now." She turned partially around and let Wade see over her shoulder how Monty Fiske was still kneeling in prayer over the man who was a part of his past. His gasp on the Kimmunicator screen was audible as she found herself a little distracted and moved internally, seeing the human side of Monty Fiske she always knew he had even though she still hated him for everything he did.

 _"I never thought I'd see him like this,"_ Wade said, getting her attention again. She sighed.

"Yeah, to lose someone you didn't know well but still know that they are important in your life. He said very little of Mr. Kato, but he said the man was a small positive force to him, was a connection to his father whom he said was an antiquities dealer and collector."

Wade rubbed his chin and nodded, looking as faraway in the eyes as he took this in. _"Yeah, never did I think I'd believe the...humanistic side of Monkey Fist,"_ he said, then returned to the current topic at hand. _"Okay, I'll send someone to your coordinates to collect the body and see to cleaning the wreckage - and you two are still going off?"_

"Yeah, it's what he wants, even though he didn't say it aloud. I know him, Wade; he wants to continue as soon as possible because there isn't much time."

She felt breath on her neck but didn't jump. She always knew he'd catch on sooner or later. "That is right, Kimberly. As soon as possible, we can leave if the arrangements have been made," Monty stated as he looked down at her wrist and Wade's collected face.

 _"They have been, and they will be there in a few hours if you two can't wait that long,"_ Wade replied.

Monty snickered and snorted at the same time. "No, we cannot wait, and I can't thank you enough for this," he said before looking Kim in the eyes. "If that is all, I have finished paying my respects and would love to get moving now - but first, we ought to take a look at that head wound of yours."

~o~

"I could do this on my own," she told him smoothly as she took the bandage from him to do herself only because he did the honors of giving her the antiseptic to take care of that scratch which was hardly a threat. "But thanks anyway."

She had thanked him, which he never thought he would hear. "You are welcome," he said with a short nod, picking up his retrieved travel bag after giving her hers. The trek towards the mountain would be long and last into the night, probably into the next morning. They would cover however kilometers they could today and then stop for the night. Night travel was never safe, not even for a ninja at the wrong time.

"So, we walk," Kim stated, willing her legs forward with him as they started on the path in the direction of the mountain. Such purple majesty in the sunlit scheme, white-capped and powerful...it displayed what he found within and pretended to be uninhabited from the rest of the world. He was looking forward to the climbing again, and he looked forward to seeing her experience the same thing. To ascend that complex with her at his side...

Monty looked down as he found them beginning to take a turn. Staying on the road or even beside it would not suffice any longer; soon they would journey into the forest itself. That would mean finding any watering holes, a safe camp site and the likes to pitch as soon as night fell. This was going to be fun - and that meant he could enjoy his time with her as he was confident that he would get her to appreciate his company better.

Just the two of them...he looked forward to it even more.

"So, Mrs. Stoppable, if it is not too much trouble -" he said coolly when they reached a density of bamboo trees. The green uplighting was exquisite and calming as being inside a spa. "- may we talk about any similarities or differences we have?"

She hissed. "Would you stop calling me that?"

"Calling you what, precisely?"

"Mrs. Stoppable."

He chortled. "Well, that IS your name, my dear. You still call me Lord Fiske, don't you? I accept it on business terms, so I call you by your formal title," he said.

She stopped the walk and turned her whole body to face him. Sweat was evident on her forehead from the long walk, and it had been barely three hours. The lines in her skin were visible, struggling with keeping composure to threatening to lash out at him since it was just the two of them. He dared her to do just that, with his eyes and a twitching smirk - but then those angry lines smoothed as she answered in a calm tone.

"Call me Kim or Kimberly from now on."

"Hmm. Then you may call me Monty."

"Agreed." He extended his hand out to her - his gloved one in contrast to the other which was exposed that it made her frown - and she took for a firm, confirmed shake. "Oh, and do me a favor, Monty?" she asked sweetly. "Take that other glove off. One hand without the other? It's silly."

Monty laughed at the choice of words, bringing that hand from her to his eyes, peeling away the black fabric on the spot to show the one thing that also defined what he was. Now both hands were equal. "Now that we have this out of the way, our destiny awaits."

Destiny - it was a fantastic word to use. Before he discovered the legends of _Tai Shing Pek Kwar_ in the ancient texts, he never thought myths and fairytales would ever prove to be true until he took the opportunity and grasped it. He confessed, looking back on those days, he was too rash, made a grave error in making the deal, even if he didn't abandon what he wanted most - and he would right the pact he made, slay the demon because he could, and he would be free.

They reached the end of their venture through the beautiful bamboo forest and came into a clearing, in perfect timing to meet with the sight of a great river. The roaring of water in his ears was thundering, but at least he would still be able to hear. The sight was tranquil and calming, but on the other side of the river lay another way to where they were close enough to. After they crossed this river, they would pitch camp. Tomorrow morning they would finally be at the mountain's mighty base - and climb until their bones could not take it anymore.

"Just how are we going to get across this?" Kim asked, gesturing at the great body of water ahead of them.

He hummed, furrowing his brows together as he tried to think of a way, deciding a tree branch would be out of the question. "Well, what do you have?" He watched as she shrugged off the strap of her bag, dropping with it to the earth covered with moist soil, grass and pebbles, unzipping the bag and rummaging through so she could find what could help them get across this powerful current between them and the other side...

"Gotcha!" She pulled out two interesting looking - _hairdryers?_ "An old tool that still comes in handy," Kim declared with a grin, giving him one. Taking it into his hands, Monty scrutinized it and was on the verge of laughing. A hairdryer, for what purpose?

"Just what is this going to help us for?"

She pressed a button on the side of the handle, and from the snout of the hair device came a set of hooks for claws. He felt his jaw drop when he followed her example and realized what it was: a _grappling gun._ How genius! He burst out laughing then. Now he remembered one of her brilliant toys when she was still saving the world. "Oh, now I remember."

"Just watch and learn. I haven't lost my touch on this, my lord!" Kim then slung her bag back onto her body and raised the gun with both hands into the air, taking a great aim and then pulling the trigger. The hook with its powerful line flew towards the tops of the trees, and for the moment, he thought she missed, until she tested it and found the line secure, wherever it wrapped around a tree; nevertheless, it was strong enough to allow her to pull another button on her device, raising her up. Amazed, Monty watched as her entire body took flight and towards that tree, sailing over the thundering gray-blue rage beneath her, landing safely on the other side. She turned and looked over her shoulder with a wink. "Try your luck, Monty!" she called, making him laugh.

Oh, he would show her his luck, alright. He raised the point to nearly the same spot as she had, firing and letting himself feel the adrenaline as he sailed over the obstacle now beneath him, making way towards where he saw she was, and landing right beside her. He made it!

"You know, a part of me was hoping you'd fall into the river," she told him while he brought the hook back into its rightful place before securing it to his belt, having the feeling they might need this later. He could climb the trees if he wanted to, but if she wanted to do this her way, so be it.

"Is it funny I might have thought the same about you?" he returned, fighting to keep the smile from his face and failing. However, in his mind, as amusing as that would have been, it would have carried her away from him which would not be as thrilling.

"That won't be a surprise."

"Well, at least we agree on something."

They were hiking through the forest now, coming over elevated roots from the trees, the air smelling humid now that they were getting deeper. By this time, the sun was reaching the end of its day, and the delicate evening colors would soon blanket them through the cracks above - by cracks, he meant the ones in the trees overhead. Monty felt his skin moisten with the feel of the slowly growing humidity. He looked over and saw her hair sticking out because of the temperature and today's action.

"We should stop here for the night," he announced when they finally found a spot. This was even earth, surrounded with thick forestry, but there was also the sound of water which told him either a stream or waterfall were nearby, which could serve as a bathing spot or even a drinking source. If there were springs nearby, the latter would serve. Beyond this spot, the base of Mount Fuji was getting broader, telling him they were closer than it seemed.

Kim dropped her bag to the ground, looking about. "Yeah, it's promising," she agreed, then raised her arms to stretch them, popping her bones and exhaling when her muscles relaxed. The sight made his own clench.

"I shall be the one to go and get the firewood," he offered, ignoring the tiresome ache in his bones. "You can set up the rest." After he gathered more than enough wood, he would set the fire up, not that he was saying she couldn't do this. He knew this area well enough and would gladly fight any more Xian guardians that would come their way. Afterwards, a dip in the spring was in order.

~o~

The smell of her own perspiration made her a little nauseated as well as the long walk through the forest, over the river and up to here. They would pitch camp here, but no tents involved as it was temporary. By the morning or early afternoon, they would reach the mountain, finally getting to the hard part they risked their skins for.

She unbuttoned her outer blouse and rolled up the sleeves to the elbows, though she planned to remove it sometime soon. She then took out her hairbrush and ran it through to get the snarls and electrical strands smooth. She had very little beauty products, but some lotion made do, smelling of peaches and jasmines, placing it around her neck and underneath her arms and wrists. If she and Monty explored further to find water spots, then a bath was in order and more of this moisturizer.

Kim and Monty had more than enough matches, surprisingly and not so at the same time. Pitching camp was always a backup. He'd gone to get firewood, which made her begin to decide to go after him after all, but he was a grown man and a skilled warrior who could take care of himself. If any Xian fighters came, she would defend herself. But these women were so _good,_ and even better than Shego had been.

Thankfully, she hated sitting around to wait for Monty to return, so she decided now was as good as ever to go ahead and follow the sound source that was water. Pure, pristine - that ran wild and free here in Japan. She jumped over thick roots protruding from beneath her feet, from tree trunk to trunk...until she finally came to the site and gasped, eyes bulging and jaw dropping like she was a teenager again.

The most beautiful waterfall cascaded in a gray-silver stream highlighted with blue, tumbling wild and delicate into a larger pool if not the size of a lake in Michigan. Surrounded by wild irises and flora, it was the most gorgeous thing she had ever seen. Kim stepped out of her hiding place and walked over to sit on a large rock smooth and comfortable to accommodate her.

Maybe now was the time to call home and check on her daughter. She dialed the Kimmunicator and asked Wade to connect her to her parents' home. Her mother's face came up, sunny as ever; she must have just gotten home from the hospital, but Dad not yet. "Hi, Mom, I just wanted to check up on everything."

 _"Sara's been missing you even though it's been a day. Do you want to talk to her?"_ Anne asked.

She could not say no to that, and within split seconds, her daughter's little face was on the screen. _"Mommy!"_

"Hi, angel." It was hard not to crack inside because now things had gotten harder that she knew Saturday would approach, and it made her wonder if she would indeed make it back in time for the party as well as the karate class that came first. "Everything has gotten a little...tougher, but I'm trying my hardest to be home before Saturday," Kim said, trying to look and sound optimistic even if she was far from it internally. Sara's eyes were watering with fear that her mother would not make it back in time for her fifth birthday.

And thinking that made her break harder because of the knowledge that her father would NOT be there to see his child grow.

"Well, I miss you guys, and I have to go. I'll be home before you know it," she promised, praying so hard to keep it, and then gave the screen a little kiss before the signal ended in time to hear Monty calling behind her.

He was dropping the logs needed into a pile, ringing them with rocks, and while she watched, Kim's breath hitched at the sight of him. He had removed his jacket, revealing a fitted, see-through white shirt that reached his elbows and was buttoned down yet again, revealing more of his muscled chest. He just thought he could pull an Indiana Jones move on her, didn't he? She lowered her eyes to the ground; or maybe it wasn't that, but the fact he just felt hot from being on the move. Still, he was rather ravishingly sexy looking like that...

His stormy eyes met hers, smiling with his mouth. "Is there anything wrong back home - with the little one?" he asked sweetly.

"Sara is doing fine, but she misses me as much as I miss her," Kim confessed, going to help him. "But I'm worried I won't be back in time for her birthday on Saturday. Time's short on my watch."

Monty hummed and sat down when they were finished. Darkness hadn't come yet, but the evening colors were becoming richer, so the matches were needed and soon. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"And what's more -" Kim sighed and tried not to cry. "- is that Ron won't be here to watch our baby grow up."

"It's very easy to see how these things happen - a father missing out on his own child's birthday any time," Monty said, devoid of any emotion, saying it very much as he said: too easy. It made Kim fume that she jerked her head in his direction again.

"Excuse me," she growled, "but what do YOU know about being a father?! My Ron would never see it like that; he made all the time and effort for Sara no matter what." She could remember the time he decided to leave his restaurant a bit early so that he could come home with a homemade birthday cake for his little princess, her favorite being banana mixed with chocolate, that he put so much love and effort into baking, seeing the look when she noticed the dish he had made.

Monty snarled back, baring his teeth, but the look in his eyes was far from it, as if he wondered if he misinterpreted somehow. Oh, he had no idea. "Really, and I suppose _every_ father would be a set example to follow this?" he countered. "For your information, Kimberly, not everyone can be made to be a perfect role model - especially fathers - to their own flesh and blood."

Something in her brain clicked when it was heavily implied that there was more to his father. Now that she remembered, in noble families and even royalty in the past, father and son relationships were vast more complicated than middle class or even lower. For the sake of class and status. She should have seen this, seen what was unspoken - but was this what began his descent into madness? Maybe she was judging him too harshly, but that did not mean she would cut him any slack for his insolence towards her late husband and herself.

"That's how your father was, wasn't he?" His posture stiffened, and he sat straighter. "No father should be that way, but still, they would attempt to show their love of you no matter -"

His temper exploded with a vengeance.

"You know _nothing_ about my childhood, Kim Stoppable!" he roared, eyes flashing like violet-blue fire. "You have no idea of what I've been through growing up - the man who barely even tolerated my presence as he chose to ignore me and left me in the care of my valet for my entire existence. Bates was the only paternal figure in my life and he was just a butler. The one who made me, the so-called father, saw to blame me for the death of his wife - _my own mother!_ "

Kim could not help but gasp and tried to tear her eyes away but found she couldn't. Monty Fiske...he had a...she didn't know what to think or say at this point. His childhood was far from hers, far from the one she wanted Sara to have - and it was worse than she imagined. When he said his father blamed him, did that mean his mother...? "What happened to your mother?"

She expected him to explode again, but instead he turned away from her to look at the stack of logs that needed to be lit soon as the sun was beginning to vanish beneath the horizon. "She died giving birth to me," he said simply, monotoned and cold.

Her heart smashed into pieces then and there. The man she'd known as a power-hungry psychopath, who exposed her to possessive pleasure and tried to kill her and those she loved...he was a tragic figure, in both a literal and figurative sense. She tried to stick to remaining on cutting him zero slack, but now it was difficult at the moment. Montgomery Fiske hadn't always been the dangerous man she'd known him as. He'd been an abandoned young boy once. No one was ever, truly born evil; they were _made_ that way. "I'm sorry," she whispered, and his eyes were back on hers, burning hotter than before.

"I wish I could believe that entirely."

He thought she didn't know how he felt, and a part of her did - but the majority wished she could entirely. To know his own father never loved him, his mother dying giving birth to him and Bates being the one to fill the shoes of a parental figure, turning to obsession with simians and Mystical Monkey Power...now that last part needed the important question. "Was this why you became so obsessed with becoming the Ultimate Monkey Master?"

 **I could not resist comparing Monty a little bit to Indiana Jones. ;D And yep, that is not all the problems they have to confront each other about. More in the next chapter coming up.**


	10. Excavation of Indiscretions

Chapter Nine

Excavation of Indiscretions

It was about time he answered her about his obsessive quest.

"Wasn't it obvious, Kimberly?" he sneered, his eyes narrowing to snake slits. "I'd have thought I made it clear to you that night: the life I lived was not enough, and my father certainly was the starting point. He never told me he was proud of me, and I wanted something of myself. I would not have found it if not for Bates, and that was everything involving simianism."

He just thought that because his life was hard enough, he could dabble in something he didn't understand? Men like Monty Fiske should have known better than to get their hands on forces beyond comprehension. "Remember I said once that I was as young as you were when you were still the cheerleader who saved the world?" he went on, ever burning righteously. "I was young, and eager. I wanted a name and a strength for myself, Kim."

This wasn't even remotely close to what she wanted to hear, given it was almost the same as he told her that night he had her trapped and vulnerable. "You've told me all of this before," she said through her teeth, her sympathy dwindling. "Why don't you just admit it already? You were hurt and abused, and you wanted to be better than your father ever was. I'm not the least bit surprised that you wanted to be an archaeologist because you either wanted to make him proud or just return with revenge instead of physical force." Yes, that had to be it. Young Montgomery Fiske longed for the attention of the man who created him, but in time became bitter and closed himself off from the man and from everything and everyone else, wrapping himself up in a cocoon of said emotions that even psychiatry could not repair. Emotions were beyond mentality; together, they were powerful sicknesses to spread.

He did not respond to that, but she saw it in his eyes. Only he knew the answer that he just had to let her figure it out for herself. She decided to go on. "When Ron got the Mystical Monkey Power, he didn't know what to do with it other than to fight you because the power was never meant to be anyone's. I told you before the warriors from ages ago separated the four statues to make sure NO ONE else acquired the abilities."

"I would stop this if you know what is good for you," he snarled, but she held her ground, even several feet from him.

"I sometimes think it's also worse to think that a sixteen-year-old boy could dream of such power compared to one having it thrust upon him and not knowing what to do, until it grew inside him and became god-like. It scared him."

"Well, he should have embraced it," Monty countered, his voice telling her he was trying to hold his temper that it made hers burst.

"For what _purpose?_ To dominate, rule? To exert his will on anyone who disagreed with him?"

Monty stood then, fists clenched at his side as he towered over her. Kim lifted her chin at him in return. "Ronald had the power, would have used it as I tried to make this world a paradise!"

Paradise for monkeys and apes, her mind spoke. And that was not a pretty picture, because if that did happen, chaos and tyranny over all humanity would have consumed. "Who's paradise?" she asked. "What Ron understood as well as I was that the paradise he considered would have been called perdition by someone else - something you never did understand, for a man like you who got the taste of hell, forever punishment worse than death." Everything he did was so vile that he got exactly that. His face was turning so red she thought any blood vessels would explode.

"Your husband understood NOTHING!" he shouted at the top of his lungs. "Just as you still don't understand this! I sometimes do not understand why you married that buffoon!" He lowered his voice then, taking several long, deep breaths to calm himself before speaking again. "What is the purpose of life if not to gain power?"

She never wanted to be better than anyone else, so she did not know what it was like to be in his shoes, but she answered anyway because she knew better. "Do you _have_ the wisdom to use the power? Because that's all power does: it corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. He knew it couldn't be trusted, not on a day-to-day basis, so he turned his back on it...until one day he used it to give his life to save mine, our daughter's and the people of Middleton." She looked him hard in the eyes, melting inside because of everything she gazed upon in there.

"I'm going to ask you one more time, Monty Fiske - you still think you are wise enough to become the Ultimate Monkey Master? And if you do defeat the Yono, what _are_ you going to do with that power once you've slain the monster you gave your soul to in order to achieve it?"

Monty turned his eyes from her. "Don't you dare turn away from me, Lord Fiske!" she said angrily, reaching for him, but he pulled back, snarling viciously.

"Don't you DARE touch me."

"Then answer my question!"

"I don't have to, if we can't come to any understanding over this, Kimberly. All I know is that I got myself into this mess, and I am getting out however - but I also cannot do this alone, as you already know." His swing from raging to soft whipped at her that she wanted so much to hit him in the face. Hard life, dead mother and distant father aside, she despised his lust for ultimate power. He was too thick-headed to even listen to her. What was she thinking that she could crack that skull of his open?

On second thought, one single conversation did not change anything overnight. Think of it as planting the seed and giving it time to grow.

~o~

No one except Bates ever knew the pain he felt as a young boy, progressing into young adulthood. He learned to live with that hole in his heart, yet he despised it at the same time and wanted to do something with it - and he couldn't have done it without Bates that fateful day when he was a ripe nine years of age. Even with that love of monkeys, there had to be more as simply watching them live behind a cage was only limited.

Monty turned his back to her, wanting to hear no more as those words were no different than the past. It made the long-lived hate return with the revenge of a long-sleeping volcano; if Mount Fuji or Kilimanjaro in deep Africa had done so, he would use their names in this situation. He was grateful she did not pry any further as she already knew enough, said enough, and if his temper blew again, she would be sorry because she brought it on herself.

Lighting the fire didn't make it any better, and as he found himself staring into the flames, he found himself yet again dwelling on the past. In school, he began to study about monkeys with more fascination than he remembered in much younger days, to which his father disapproved of greatly. Eventually, when he was just turning sixteen, that was when he one day happened across a very interesting find involving Monkey Kung Fu - or _Tai Shing Pek Kwar_. It was the intricacy of the skills that the warriors carried, the magic behind it that drew him in until Edward Fiske also one day found out and barred him because it was nonsense, lectured him that a true digger of the past would believe in rationale and not fairytale hocus pocus.

From then on, young Monty was fixated and began to believe that he could see more to this, difficult as it would become. But it was then and there that he no longer felt as vulnerable as he had been once as a boy. If he had this kind of power, then he would no longer see weakness as a problem to him.

Kimberly avoided looking at him, too, but there apparently wasn't much to do for the night, but they would also be hungry soon, so starvation was out of the question. He thought about being the one before she stood. "I'm going to find what we need tonight to eat."

"I should go with you," he told her, placing hostility aside, but she refused.

"I'm armed, so I won't need your help."

Monty snorted. "Suit yourself." He would stick to just stoking the fire to keep it going then, perhaps meditate to calm his senses. It would do well to ease his mind for awhile. She picked up her flashlight and utility belt, starting off into the darkness that was the forest to find possible fruits, or maybe an animal to suffice. Monty had no trouble fasting on raw meat over the fire pit.

He opened his eyes when he found himself as he'd placed himself; he sat cross-legged before the fire, the heat warming his flesh and brightening his vision. Standing, he stretched his muscles and sat down - in time to hear rustling behind him. Acting on instinct, he jumped to his feet and assumed battle stance, one hand over his head and the other in front of him, crouching...

...only to find the figure to come out of the trees was none other than Kim, carrying a wrapped sheet filled with whatever she'd found. She burst out laughing when she saw him ready to fight, and now he felt like laughing because he'd assumed it was anyone else. "Cheerleading from high school definitely saved my life yet again," she announced, dropping her findings in between them both. "Let's hope you don't mind eating this as I didn't see any other animals in the vicinity."

"Japanese _mamushi_ \- or pit viper," he noted wryly. Of course, he should have guessed these things would be around here someplace. Each year, two to three thousand unfortunate victims suffered from snakebite of these beasts. Those inflicted required intensive treatment; at least ten patients died annually. China and Korea even had these little monsters. "Believe me, Kimberly," he said, chuckling, "I have eaten worse, but rest assured, this can be an interesting dish if you had herbs for its meat."

"Good thing I found some along the way." She'd taken off the head, the body remaining and limp in death. He wondered how many more she'd killed to save herself from being bitten and infected with their ablomin toxin. "I had to ask myself why it had to be a snake of all things," she said, jabbing an iron pole through the pink meat in the beginning where the head used to be. "I wondered why it had to be a snake, because it takes me back to the time of the Jade Monkey Temple in Cambodia - where I encountered snakes on the way." She burst out laughing again as she recalled the first time they met when he called for her aid...and it was a fond memory indeed, because not only did it begin a real closer step towards his destiny, it also brought him to _her._

"I think maybe this is déjà vu," she finished at the same time she completed arranging the dead reptile over the fire for it to sear in and out.

Monty watched as she turned the thing over and around, impressed. Nearly half an hour later, their meal was done and he did the honors of giving the exposed meat the extra touch of the herbs she'd found, which made it marvelous. Sadly, no lemon or anything else to give it true taste, but it had to do. "Mmm," Kim hummed. The sound made him repeat and thrum inside. "Not the worst, but Ron could have done this much better because he was the chef."

There they went again in mentioning the buffoon, and that intense sadness returned in her eyes. No matter how often she mentioned Ronald, it was always obvious to Monty Fiske that she could never get over her former sidekick, husband and the father of her child. By this time he finished his part of his snake and swallowed so he could ask her what had been residing deep down and had to come to the light.

"You told your husband about us, didn't you?"

That night between them - that one night that he had set up to get her as vulnerable as she could be - was the only time he let loose the need to mate with a female, enjoyed what it was like to be alive in the flesh, and none other with his worthy adversary. He'd wanted to harm her flesh to get the amulet from her body for himself - the body that he found he savored with his, until she ran away from him before the morning came, abandoning him and leaving him without the queen that he had decided he wanted beside him. He'd wondered what he had been thinking not long after, but from the deep recesses of his being, something inside him festered...

He kept his eyes locked on her face, taking in how her emerald orbs lowered to her half-finished meat as if it was bringing her back to the past. Her answer was barely audible but still crystal clear. "I did."

"I imagine he did not take it well," he said, smiling then. They sat across from each other before the fire, the temperature adding to the rising atmosphere as they were finally on the track to discussing what should have been kept between the two of them - only he should have known she'd tell the pretender who became the one she loved.

She refused to look at him, instead turning her attention to look at the golden amber flames flickering towards the midnight heavens. "He didn't - but he did come around eventually. What happened between you and I was a mistake."

~o~

Old wounds were reopened when she had Ron's help in healing them as well as those he had when she confessed to him about her onetime affair - and with none other than the man before her whom she had the tryst with. Kim felt her face melt away at the heat waves inflicted by the fire before her and the man whose smooth British accent soon hardened when she told him that what they both did that night was an error.

Just as Ron did not take it well, neither did Monty.

"Mistake," he repeated, disbelieved and enraged, eyes blazing literally with flames. "Mistake - is that what it was?" His tone was rising with each word, and his fingers closed again into fists. "A one-night stand, as you Americans call it? What next?" he challenged, leaning over so his face was several inches from hers. "You say that I took _advantage_ of you?!"

She closed her eyes, her meal forgotten now. Neither had an appetite anymore as things were going to get heated again. They were spending more time fighting than working together tonight, but by morning it would be different. She knew it well, but now the long-buried subject was out in the open, with no sense ignoring him when he accused her of implying he took advantage of her because she was a young woman then, knowing her vulnerabilities well. "I was only sixteen years old," Kim answered, still soft, but soon she would raise it to his level. She wasn't lying to him, but she also wasn't completely honest either. "It was wrong. And no, you did not force me completely; I consented to it all because I could not avoid what you made me feel..." Her heart clenched that she brought her hand up to that spot which he noticed.

"But it was still wrong, Monty."

Yes, it was wrong then. Sixteen and underage, but age was only a number to her - at the time, but now that he was in front of her again, he needed to know how wrong it was back then. He'd asked her to be his Monkey Queen shortly after she nearly became a full monkey, even after everything threatening not only the lives of those around them including her own, and after she escaped his hold, they resumed their adversarial stage because a single night of fire didn't call a truce.

"You may think it was, but you made it clear that you had been willing, yet WHY do you think to tell me this now? If it was a mistake, then do enlighten me why you agreed to it," he said in a low, dangerous voice that made her lean backwards, never once breaking eye contact.

"Because I was young and couldn't help it," Kim replied. "You were everything a teenaged girl could dream about: foreign, powerful, mysterious, handsome, dangerous and determined to take what you wanted. I was aroused that what you wanted was me, but in the years since, I came to wonder...why didn't you find a grown woman to be your Monkey Queen? Why didn't you find a grown woman to seduce? Under all the arrogance and entitlement, were you so scared of rejection that you had to find a teenager, lure her three thousand miles from her home, surround her with your minions so she couldn't escape, and then unleash your charm?"

He looked like he couldn't speak, and he didn't. His eyes were shooting daggers, jabbing and unable to believe the audacity in which she spoke to him, but damned if this time also didn't get through to him tonight. His hands clenched tighter than before, threatening to draw blood that would slip through his fingers before her very eyes. The unspoken words deeper in the pupils spoke to her soul, asking her how dare she call that one night they had wrong, and the bitterness in his voice slipped through his lips.

"Well, you are completely wrong about me choosing a young woman who might not refuse me. I am too proud of myself to admit I did fear rejection, as you put it," he said silkily, "but I daresay that you were the only woman in my sights whom I considered to be the most powerful creature I had seen in years. I had no known reluctant or willing acquaintances even before then - especially those who were interested only in my family's fortune, which is by far distasteful." His face twisted briefly before smoothing to normal. "Our history did not matter to me at that present time. I should also confess that I have never felt such driven fire between us until we linked, Kimberly." Damn it, he was doing it again, and she felt it in and tried to shove it down to the pit of her stomach. "I never felt such longing in my life until I met you. Surely you can't deny that possibility for yourself as well?" The anger subsided then, replaced with wounded pride that snatched her off her feet yet again.

He'd told her back then, explicitly and cryptically at the same time, that he desired her for as long as he could remember, and that was all it was: desire. Pure, raw, animalistic lust. It wasn't anywhere near what she had with Ron, because he was the one she'd known all her life, been there all this time even when she didn't realize how much she loved him as he loved her. Monty Fiske before her, the man who called himself Monkey Fist, had felt this way while they were rivals for that time, only to profess...

"You have no idea of what I could have given you, Kimberly, if you had accepted," he went on, refusing to let her have the last say - but oh, she had plenty more to say, but she would let him have the finality for the moment. "You, as a queen in all that stood out, and yet you chose to deny me and instead left without so much as an adieu." His eyes became dark charcoal then that her inner fire erupted and made her drop her snake meat, standing up and looking down at him with her teeth bared.

He really enjoyed this, didn't he? Well, if he wanted a fight, then he got one! Only no fists were involved. "You really want to know how GOOD you were, Monty?" Kim shouted, risking attention of the Xian guardians hiding somewhere in the trees around them. "I'll admit that you rocked my world, you left me trembling with passion and desire in a way I didn't even dream possible. Yes, for years through high school, every time I started crushing on a boy, I had to wonder if he could ever compare to you. And now, I'm about to make you feel as smug as you've been since you came out of the ground...that young man who became my husband didn't excite me, didn't arouse me, didn't please me anywhere near as well as you did! Now, widen up that smirk a little, enjoy it while you can because it's about to be as good as it gets for you! I actually wondered if I was always going to be disappointed; I wondered if I would never be as satisfied as when you had your way with me. There you go, smile at how much better you were as a grown man than a boy of eighteen was. Now comes the big fall: Ron LOVED me and because of that, he asked me what worked for me, what I found awkward and what I enjoyed. No, he wasn't as good as you...the first time, or the second, or even the third...but by the time we could see graduation looming ahead of us, he was rocking my world like you couldn't. You aroused me enough for your own ends while Ron aroused me for the sake of giving me pleasure. And you know what that did? I don't care if you want to know or not, because you're about to hear it! Because he loved me and aroused me, I loved and aroused him. I gave him pleasure that you never had from me because I loved him right back. You took your pleasure from me, I gave pleasure to Ron and because of that, he got a hell of a lot more than you will ever know."

His lips were pulling back into a feral snarl, the sound itself escaping through his teeth as she unleashed her wrath on him regarding the time he took her innocence away that should have been Ron's, even though the both of them were both willing to go that far. He stood up then, standing over her and engaging her in combat, though with the eyes only, and he was ready to make the next move, return the jab she gave him...but his words were beyond what she expected to hear from him.

"If that's the way you feel, Kim Stoppable, then perhaps I should unleash every foul curse I can conjure up - but I'm too refined for such vulgarity. But I happened to have enjoyed that one night with you more than you think. It was more than you could ever have imagined for yourself - for the both of us. I cherished your company more than anyone has ever done for me."

 **Obsession really IS a crazy thing in any situation, drives you to do things you never thought you would.**

 **On a slightly off-topic note, maybe: I HATE snakes of all kind, but Blue Kitsune did give me a good idea of what Japanese snake to use, as well as the source. (shudders)**

 **Whoo, Kim really jabbed back at Monty over the events of "The Deadly Embrace of Desire" and "The Garden of Serenity", and anything in between. :) But there is more to come between these two, especially any events from the episodes following "The Full Monkey" which TDEOD takes place after. Stay tuned for the next chapter. :D**


	11. Of Hurts and Comforts

**With the episode "Gorilla Fist" upon rewatching as well as discussing with daccu65 one time, it became clear to me that Monty felt what Kim did when he was the target of DNAmy's unwanted advances - just what Kim was in TDEOD, and an issue that they will discuss maybe in the next chapter.**

 **The beginning which deals with Monty struggling with his feelings and demons even more was difficult for a variety of reasons: one, he is beginning to crack because of the intensity of her words because deep down, he's seeing the light but won't acknowledge yet. He knows what he wants most, and being tortured by Yono hasn't changed it even though he knows the mistake he made, so that seed of doubt will begin to grow slowly. Kim is the one to get him to have his obvious, eventual change of heart, and he's still fighting with futile attempts. The ghosts and demons of his past are just adding to this.**

 **With the way his and Kim's bantering go, I was a little nervous because of the constant swings from topic to topic, which I had a feeling might have been too much, but if any of you think about it, their conversation is filled with high emotions, and if anything, either of them could really lash out if one's not careful; that's what's going on with Monty. According to my friend Blue Kitsune, you can't let them go and become enemies again after this.**

 **To be on the safe side, to avoid being startled, you all should know there is mention of a onetime attempt at suicide but never actually happens. Involves an old Japanese samurai form of it.**

Chapter Ten

Of Hurts and Comforts

Something inside of him was tearing up, and she was the cause of it.

How could she say such things to him, call that one night a mistake? If you asked Monty, short-lived as it was, it was the greatest experience of his life that he did not need to repeat the reasons why. He couldn't look at her anymore, but his mind was also telling him that it would not solve anything, and how right it was, yet he could not help himself. He could hear the voices inside his head based on what Kimberly was telling him tonight, tried so hard to shove it down but failed.

First there was the voice of his father.

 _No one can love you. Just look at you - you are nothing._

For his entire life, up until the time he finished college, Monty was called nothing by the man who was all he had of the mother he never knew - the woman who bore him and died bringing him into the world. He was used to such talk, such as the word selfish... _selfish enough to take the one person who gave you life, and that's the thanks she received, Montgomery._

Monty felt his face turn moist, and a tiny part of his consciousness believed it was not just the flames' waves. He quickly turned his back to Kim as the voices continued to taunt him - and this new one was not his father.

 _See, you are a fool. How can you think you deserve her? You think power would have brought her to accept you - you who were ignorant and selfish?_ Yono...Yono the Destroyer...the being he traded his soul for higher recognition...

The voices of both him and Edward Fiske roared as one as the density of the fire as well as its blinding light flared before his very eyes.

 _YOU ARE NOTHING!_

The fire erupted inside his body as he turned his back ultimately from the pit and in the other direction, seeing Kim now from his side and how she kept her distance as she pondered what was wrong with him now, with what little feminine stupidity she still possessed. At least she knew better than to pry into him. Everything about them in the past that she just threw into his face was tearing him apart, in every inch of his limbs, every cell in his body...and now his hands burned, causing him to look down at them both, turning them over so the sign of the Yono burned ominously gold in his skin...

"My God!"

He hissed when she came up to see what displayed his internal suffering. "Now you see what you made me feel."

Her teeth were bared as she regarded his opened hands, watching with him as the symbols eventually faded as if they had never been there, and only he knew they would return again. Then that feral look softened instantly. "The mark of the..." She stopped there, looking up at him and asking him permission with her eyes. He sighed.

"Yes, you can say his name."

"The mark of the Yono," she said, before drawing herself straighter, the topic changed yet again. "You know something else, Monty? You talk to me as if I am your servant and you are master, like you and Bates. For your information, we are working together, no more and no less. You think everyone around you is inferior, don't you? You know I'm nothing like that, but you continue to talk to me like that."

Monty inhaled and let it out, thinking back on this, which was tame compared to her rants moments ago. He didn't truly care how he spoke to others in reality, but now...now he realized how true she was. She was not Bates, she was not any of the monkey ninjas. No, she was just like him. She was helping him, and yet he was showing superiority in ordering her around when she dared to bring up that raging name. "I apologize, Kimberly," he said, closing his hands and dropping them to his sides. "Yes, you are correct. I have not been the gentleman in this manner." Everything about himself he was losing control of because everything inside him from the rage and infuriation, the lack of understanding, and these insufferable feelings - he was sure someday soon, maybe sooner than he thought, that he would go mad as the courts labeled him to be.

"Monty," she said after a long moment, "when are you going to open your eyes wider? I never thought I'd say this, but as much as I am having a hard time forgiving you for the past, as much as you drive me insane...will you at least open more of yourself up to me tonight?"

He whirled on her, wanting to spit at her both verbally and physically. She was getting under his skin more than he could recall, she told him it was useless to become the Ultimate Monkey Master - but she also listened to him when he finally told her about his familial tragedy and his lifelong isolation, save for Bates being the only one there for him. And after she'd just seen the Yono's curse in his flesh, she was _pleading_ with him to reveal more of his darkest secrets...

...and then the fear returned. That meant telling her he had been touched, defiled in his prison, and to see the horror and disgust in her eyes when he spilled it all was more than his mind and heart could bear. He didn't want her to be repulsed by him. Now he knew why he wanted her help besides aiding in this quest, besides needing her help more sincerely than ever - and besides the reason he still desired her.

Monty did not want to lose Kim.

~o~

"I will certainly honor your wish, but right now, I believe we both have had enough humiliation and outbursts tonight when in the morning we have more important matters," he said, looking her square in the eyes, and this time she could not read him at all. "I'm very tired, as I am sure you are."

She wanted to be angry again, but he was right. They were both exhausted after today and needed to sleep before morning broke. There might be more pit vipers around, but the place she'd gone was too far from the campsite to come near them both. That did not mean neither of them would not be on the lookout, however.

Kim laid out the blankets brought, given there were two - one for beneath and the other on top. Travel today had not required loads to carry, and it was only for tonight...and as it turned out, they would be sleeping side-by-side. Now she had the urge to stiffen, seeing him do the same, and when their eyes met once more, his stormy irises were smoldering the same way they did that night, and Kim was on the verge of exploding again - but then he made the first move and laid down on the ground, on what would be her right hand side, and placed both hands as a pillow beneath his head. With each breath he took, he looked up at the sky devoid of stars or even a moon; his chest rose up and down with comfortable ease. His eyes closed. He looked like he wanted to just go to sleep then and there, and she had to agree...but she had to have the premonition that the attempt to have a good night's rest would not be so kind to them.

Her body found its will to lie down beside him, a few inches or maybe centimeters apart so there wasn't much contact. She didn't want to feel that again. Ron wasn't here anymore, but that did not mean she should jump into enjoying the feel of Monty against her again just like that. She would give him some ease, and maybe that would help her, too. That was as far as it would go.

She half-expected him to try and say something else to her, but as the moments passed, Monty did not utter another casual word to her. He must be deep within his own little world. Actions spoke louder than words, and that was how it transpired between them in the old days - however, you could never judge a book by the cover. She did that in the beginning with him and fell for it, so she always had her guard up...until the barriers fell between them that one fateful time.

Right now, she safely said to herself that she'd judged his cover as of late. After tonight, releasing the floodgates - figuratively - she saw more to the monkey man and confirmed her deep-down beliefs that he was still a human being.

"Good night, Kimberly."

She turned to look at him in surprise, but he didn't. Those three words...she never thought she would hear him say them, let alone from HIM. "You, too, Monty," was all she could say, and quickly, she turned her back to him, finding her face warmed by the fire that continued to burn and melt them into a peaceful slumber...only for it to not last long as she awoke some time later to the sound of whimpering behind her.

Kim turned around from her side, her face warm enough and cooling like ice now that it was away from the licking flames before her, only to see Monty tossing and turning, his hands shifting as if he was struggling to keep an imaginary oppressor or whatever it was he was dreaming about away from him. His words and the look on his face even with his eyes closed were not at all what she expected to see or even hear from him.

"No...no, not again...please...I can't..."

Her organs clenched as she saw how _vulnerable_ he looked and sounded. She did not expect to see this of him, either - and now she could say her heart was breaking simply because of this. Sitting up, she decided now was the time to wake him because he was going to die in his mind if she did not do something about this, because the word - or rather, _name_ \- to escape his lips now was the finale straw.

 _"Yono...!"_

"Monty, hey, wake up," she whispered softly, reaching over and touching his arm, squeezing and shaking him at the same time.

In response, he screamed again and bolted upwards, eyes snapping open right away. He practically lunged and looked around, skin glistening with dream sweat, and panting harshly and erratically. Finally his eyes landed on Kim, who was worried to her very core because now she knew how deeply he had been affected, as Wade described.

Monty took another few breaths before speaking hoarsely. "Kimberly."

"I'm right here," she said, the best she could say because she didn't know what else, or how his manly pride could take crying and thrashing in his sleep. She wanted to scream at the Yono and curse at him for making this man feel like this. "Are you okay?" Her hand moved down on its own and took one of his into it. She caressed its calloused palm before moving around and smoothed the thick hair which actually felt soft like the fur of a baby animal, which surprised her.

"No." His answer was low and simple, dazed and damaged. It showed how he really felt inside, no secrets to hide any longer from her, and it was also because he was going to finally tell her the truth about being in the world of the Yono.

But one thing came first before that could happen. "Will you get me my bag, please?" he asked.

There was one reason she could think of as to why he requested this, and she couldn't refuse him. Dropping it carefully in front of him, she sat back beside him and watched as he unzipped it and rummaged around until he found a... _pill bottle._ The name partially was revealed to her eyes, but she recognized immediately what it contained. He unscrewed the cap and dropped one into his palm before popping it into his mouth without water to wash it down.

He had just taken an antidepressant - just like she did whenever she had nightmares about Ron.

"What I endured was not a pleasant experience," he told her somberly, putting the bottle back where it was. "When I was within the Yono's realm, time was meaningless, and for myself, it could have felt like eons. The Destroyer himself was the master over my punishment, so therefore I was forced to submit to his every command..."

Monty stopped right there. Now Kim could see it more clearly: he was more ashamed than afraid. Suddenly, the sickness in her gut arose to the surface as she now began to get the horrible feeling as to what happened to him. "Oh, Monty..." She tried not to moan and failed, covering her face in her hands.

She peeked through two of her fingers and saw his gaze harden as he observed her response. "Yes, Kim...as a non-subtle way to put this, I was _raped_ in hell."

Now she felt like she wanted to vomit, even at the word he used - the correct term, the vilest term to call this in existence - and she nearly lost attention of his confession, sounding more forlorn and guilty. "It was beyond terrifying that I endured...the utter humiliation I had to suffer under him taking away my freedom, forcing himself onto me - and I was powerless to do anything. I was weak; I could not fight a being who had me under his thumb and no chance of escape, even when I wished he could just put me out of my misery." He paused there, the next action taking her beyond surprise.

A single tear slid down his cheek. Monty was... _crying._

This was the first time she saw the man shed a physical tear before a woman - especially if that woman was his onetime lover.

"I don't know...I'm so sorry," she croaked, melting and broken in her heart at the same time. Long did she believe no one deserved the punishment they got, and that was what she'd said when she saw Monkey Fist's petrified form vanish into the earth beyond the Yamanouchi School - and back in her life, he told her the horrors of walking the path of the Yono which damaged his spirit.

"Don't apologize," he ground out. "It's too easy to do so. And what's more: words do not truly save a man who went beyond the boundaries. There is no true method to repair what I suffered; therapy and the medication prescribed will never heal me." He became aware of the heated moisture on his cheek, for he reached up to rub it off with his thumb before clearing his throat and shocking her even further. "The doctors never knew this, and I could never repeat it to myself even before, during or after rehabilitation - I contemplated taking my own life once. I considered taking a knife from my own kitchen and slicing my wrists, or resorting to _seppuku_ \- what the samurai resorted for suicidal means."

Horror rushed through her with white-hot fire that he confessed he wanted to end his own life at one time, and in the most brutal ways unimaginable. Why on earth would he consider this?! It was nothing compared to the samurai in their time when they either committed a serious crime or just brought shame upon themselves; the latter seemed to be the case with Monty for obvious reasons. To even think about the horrid image that was him taking any blade to his abdomen and slicing his own guts, before having enough life to cut his own throat or stab his own heart...

"Oh, God..." She knew she said these words before and had to repeat them. This once proud man, her former adversary who always saw to gloat and mock her, threatened innocent people to get what he wanted - he had become a former shell of himself. She broke down with him because now she knew what true emotions drove him to save himself if not through therapy means or rehab. She reached out again to touch his shoulder, but he flinched and drew back. His eyes said it all: he thought she was repulsed by the ruined insides of his body because he had nonconsensual sex with a monkey god for seven years. But she wasn't, and she would show him.

Kim moved closer and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pulling him close to her. She laid her head on his shoulder, unsure of how else to comfort his poor soul. "You didn't deserve this. I'm more than sorry you had to go through this...no one should have to, especially for someone like you."

He didn't speak, only wrapped his arms around her waist and held her as he breathed in her scent, his body wracking as he fought so hard to not cry and let his pride break down any further than it already was.

 **The scene where Monty confesses to nearly taking his own life was probably one of the most intense I've ever done, along with when he admits to "being raped in hell" (which also is a quote from a possessed female lead in the 2013 remake of "The Evil Dead"). :S I also knew this was the point where Kim decides she can't judge him forever, and that they should begin to learn to understand and trust each other.**


	12. Climbing of the Mountain High

**I have done some more research on Mt. Fuji, and some known facts are listed that I will not reveal at the moment, so enjoy. :) Also, enjoy a certain common image that we can all fantasize about. ;) I'd also read "Awkward" by PengyChan, though I must tell you this hinted image did not directly come from that hilarious oneshot simply because of the differences between that and this.**

Chapter Eleven

Climbing of the Mountain High

They fell asleep before the fire that night, but not side-by-side, but there was also no inappropriate touching either. She laid back and took him down with her, drawing the blanket over them both. He'd rested his head over her chest, using it as a pillow and she wrapped her arms around him as though he was her child. This was what she would do to Sara whenever she had a nightmare; especially after her daddy died.

But this time? This time her onetime lover had a nightmare himself, taking the same medicines she did ever since her husband's self-sacrifice, and due to being hell-molested by the monkey deity himself. It was by far any worse punishment than anyone could get for what they did.

And they said your heinous actions could never be justified - only that was not true with Monty Fiske's case.

She massaged his scalp with one hand, her fingernails soothing his fraying nerves, while the other scratched the back of his neck - and traveled beneath the collar of his shirt so she could ministrate the beginning of his back, where his nerves and muscles were tense but now easing because of her. His skin was very warm, very smooth and firm; it was his weak spot because he needed the kind of attention tonight that he had never experienced due to the absence of a mother. And tonight she would substitute for that.

"Promise me..."

Kim blinked and looked at him. His eyes were closed, his lips parted to breathe; his breath heated her skin and made her shiver beneath him. "What?"

"Promise me," he repeated, nuzzling into her warm curves, enjoying it as though it had been so long since he felt anything like this - or felt anything like he was now. "Promise you won't...leave me tonight..."

She felt her inner conflict arise again. He wasn't implying the way she abandoned him the next morning - not right now, but it was still there - but after pouring out everything he kept bottled up for three years, even from his doctors and the courts, he needed her. How could she say no? "I promise," she whispered, and that sealed the rest of the night which was not as rocky as today and hours ago had been.

That night she did not even dream about Ron's death, smoothing her body and soul for the first time, but that did not mean it was over for her.

Another reason she was afraid to be with this man again was because she feared shaming her husband's memory and everything they established after Monkey Fist was turned to stone to fulfill his doom. She had thought her feelings of bliss amidst their animosity had subsided - only for the grief to come to the surface when she saw him taken down to the earth that Ron had noticed and made her finally confess the affair. So much effort since then to try and move on had been worth it...and during the night she'd slept with Lord Fiske in her arms before the fire after he suffered night terrors as she had following losing her Ron.

But Monty was not with her when she opened her eyes. She jolted to a sitting position and looked around, seeing him nowhere. The fire had died during the night, so smoky gray ashes and darkened wood remained. Their equipment remained, so he couldn't have gone far - which left one option as to where he had to be.

Kim made way in the direction where she found the waterfall and pool yesterday...and her cheeks as well as her stomach and beneath flared at the sight of the man standing beneath the falling shower, covering his nude glory with its cleansing effects. She ducked behind the tree, unable to tear her eyes away from the view.

Starting from the bottom, she glimpsed a pair of monkey feet, the extremely dark hair going to his ankles and stopping an inch above. The calves and thighs were firm and strong, as well as the buttocks they were attached to, causing the fire in her skin and blood to boil higher. His back was arched but muscled well, shining with the water covering his form. Watching as the hands matching the feet smoothed his wet raven hair, Kim's moist mouth grew even more when her eyes took in how _long_ his hair actually was; it grew a little more than an inch past his neck. The years had been good to him...and then his body turned around so she saw him full-front, and she quickly turned and hid behind her spot.

To her horror, she FELT the familiar tingle below her stomach that hadn't happened since she was sixteen years old, and she had to fight the urge to open the front of her pants, in this place, hidden while _he_ was out there, bathing before her eyes and unaware that she was watching him - and she shouldn't have, but she couldn't help it. Half of her wanted to see what she turned her eyes from, because she'd seen him once that one time, and now...

God, no...no no no nono...! No, why was this happening again?!

~o~

Ah, to feel the purification, how it washed over his body and in his personal sanctuary, only he would not be here long given he knew that she would awake and find him gone; her first instinct would be to look for him, and she would find him in this state. Half of him was counting on it, yet the other half insisted he respect that if she didn't want to see him like this, so be it.

His hands roamed over himself, through his hair to cleanse the locks, then over his neck to massage his nape; just last night it had been _Kim_ to console him, to give him the attention that a mother would give her child after the little one screamed in a terrible dream. She did it only because she had a child herself, so that was one obvious reason why she held him against her. To feel her body against his, her warm breasts against his face which he used as a pillow - it was more than he would have asked. He had not slept better after the nightmare in so long a time.

The real nightmare itself, however, was still far from over.

She held him, but she hadn't been disgusted with him. She didn't pity him; she actually sympathized with him when the snide part of his being felt he did not deserve it; his defenses broke down altogether as his inner child, partially ashamed, freed himself and begged her to stay with him and not leave him that night. And when he awoke as the sunlight poured through the trees and onto them, he still felt her body beneath his and felt such utter joy that she kept her promise.

If she was watching him, then he decided to give _this_ to her but give her no indication that he was aware of her presence: he turned around to the beyond that was surrounding Mother Nature, the water rolling over his shoulders and down the front of his body. Certain sensitive areas tightened and seared with the natural flow as well as his own instincts. Sighing, Monty graced his palms over his chest, tracing the outlines of his pectorals, then over the planes of his abdomen, stopping at the end of it. It was then that he found himself looking down at his own reflection in the pool, forgetting about the possibility of Kim watching him as well as any others - he knelt down to his knees on the rock he stood, well aware of his footing as he continued to stare at the somber blue eyes of the man who gazed back at him.

This man staring back at him - this was what he became beginning when he was fourteen years of age and about finished with that stage known as puberty. Monty as a boy blossoming into manhood recalled being embarrassed when he began to notice certain signs in his body: in the mornings, he would tighten between the legs even though he had no desires for any known girls his own age or even older; in addition, his musculature developed stronger if not burly or monstrous due to working out. Each time he looked down at himself, in either the mirror or not, he would sometimes raise an eyebrow at notably the base area between his legs, at the pubic hair which had never been there when he was younger. "One of the natural visible signs of manhood, Monty," Bates later told the young man, much to his own embarrassment. But other young boys had this discussion known as the birds and the bees with their fathers, as girls spoke of it with their mothers, only the valet substituted for Monty's father whom he felt no need to confide in about his body's maturity.

Monty was fifteen when his sexuality began to actually grow. He overheard a group of boys in school one day discussing "the act" which they had done with their girlfriends. Monty himself had never once been with a girl, but as far as he'd been taught, marriage or sometime in adulthood had been the best way to go as to avoid unplanned pregnancy as well as sexually transmitted diseases. Something in him had gotten curious that he had to run for the library to collect books on the sexual art, and that was when he stumbled across the _Kama Sutra_ as well as _The Perfumed Garden_ \- the Arabic equivalent to the former Hindu text.

In the Indian book, the various positions and their instructions instilled something in his body that made his blood race and his heart pump, the flames traveling down to the place between his legs that he decided something needed to be done.

Unfortunately, getting a girl into bed with him was farfetched for a variety of reasons. First, the females who flaunted at him were obviously interested in him only because he was the heir to the Fiske family fortune; second, he had not been lucky to find such a woman who would be fond of him with or without money. He'd wanted an individual to see him as a human being and not as a bank.

In the present, he stood back up and relished the air on his body, jumping into the pool just for the sake of it, swimming back over to the shore and climbing to retrieve his clothing on the earth. Not being completely dry would make him uncomfortable, but he lived with this before. Once he was dry enough and redressed, he ventured back to the camp, half disappointed when Kim was there, packing up and ready to go, only he knew she was ready to have her turn in the watering spot.

"I'll proudly wait for you," he told her, sitting down and watching her march in his direction, passing him by without a look in the eye. There was no mistaking the lingering blush on her cheeks; he knew she'd seen him and almost smirked. He knew she still found him irresistible, but he would not push her as he'd done the last few days.

Add in that he would not follow her and watch her. The lady deserved her privacy.

~o~

They were back on the road, much to her relief - but the relief would not last, little did she know.

Her hair was still damp from bathing in the waterfall, and she realized how renewed she felt inside as she did out. When she and Monty at last reached the end of their journey in the forest, Mount Fuji stood right before them. "At long last," he breathed beside her, and she had to agree. This place was a favorite in Japanese art as well as poetry was waiting for them - but the people they were looking for who resided near the top peak would not be so welcoming, which meant they needed a backup plan, and they did have another hour or two until they reached the mountain itself, and then however many more to climb the place.

Ironic how this place was forbidden to women in ancient times, at least until the late nineteenth century, otherwise called the Meiji period. So many changes in society, the political system as well as economic. The samurai also used its base as their training ground. What made it more interesting was the escaped fact that the goddess Xian's devotees resided at the topmost part of the volcano and kept their beloved weapon protected until Lord Montgomery Fiske infiltrated and now came back.

When they finally got to that deed, they were rappelling up the mountain, and were barely even halfway when the old saying finally came to her that she had to tell him. "You know, there is that old saying -" she started only for him to finish it for her.

"A wise person will climb once in their lifetime, but a fool would climb it twice. Yes, I have not forgotten." He shook his head in irritation. "A foolhardily quote for the generations."

Of course, he would dismiss it, and now was not the time to argue. "So, we have to figure out a -" She grunted as she pulled the rope as well as her weight upwards with it. He followed her; he was damned good with his monkey side that he could have proven he was definitely far better than she was at this; comparing and contrasting was not a good time, either. "- best laid plan of action, since I doubt we can just walk in and not expect a fight at hand." Her boot dug into the rock and earth, shoving her further as the rope and hooks could only do so much.

"Agreed." Monty turned to look at her briefly and nodded, returning his attention to his part. "I must repeat that the first time was most fortunate and with some sheer luck to escape the Xian devotees before. I believe they will have at least doubled the guards and see no one tries to get in again, which is why I have come to the conclusion that it is where..." He paused there and turned his attention her way.

"... _you_ come in."

Okay, maybe she was surprised, or maybe not, but either way, it was a total stunner. It wasn't that she hadn't gone undercover before, but this was the first time in two years. "Oh, naturally, I get to go in and do your dirty work for you."

"Kimberly, I am not female, so I do not have the physical means to pass off as one of them." He stated the obvious. "And if you are wondering, I have spared you the trouble of slithering in their midst to get the disguise." His mouth smirked at one corner.

She sighed; they were getting closer now, and somehow, she was not the least bit tired as he did not appear to be, either. "Alright, this won't be a big if I just pretend to be one of them and get the sword when no one is looking..." On second thought, if the security would be as tight as he believed, then it wouldn't be as easy as they thought.

He chuckled. "Indeed, as soon as their backs are turned from the weapon on its stand, you meet with me. I'll also be keeping an eye for you, camouflage myself as best I can if not amongst the ladies."

"Just where did you get my...disguise?" she had to ask, making him laugh again.

"I had my means. Really, there is no need to go looking further as to how I acquired it. I know they are your size, just an instinct, and you should have no trouble."

"Well, when you put it that way," she said, the word supposed present but not spoken.

Finally, they were there! Kim would have laughed, and so would have he, if not for the fact they could not attract attention. Near the snow-capped peak, they found the cave entrance, lit by several torches on the walls; their faint light was seen from further down by the naked eye. They stopped here, so Kim could change and get into her disguise. Of course, ever the gentleman, Monty turned his back to her so he would not see her.

When she was finished, Kim was happy that he'd been right in that this white ninja garb would fit her in the right places; it also did not prevent the gleam in his eyes as he took in the sight. "Marvelous."

Smirking, she dipped in a brief bow as well as with her head tilted forward. He then handed her the hood to fasten over her hair which she carefully tucked into her uniform and then pulled the lower half over her mouth and nose, save for her eyes. Monty did not need to further comment, but he had to tell her more so that this did not go awry. "You must remember to not throw anything to arouse suspicion to yourself," he said. "Not even to engage in combat. We will get the blade away and make way as fast as we both can."

"Got it." He did fill her in that the Xian warriors would not be armed at the present time, but did not say why. Perhaps it was because they anticipated no unwanted arrivals today, though it seemed they would be caught off-guard yet again. Desecrating sacred temples was not her thing - unless it was abandoned for centuries - so this marked trespassing and violation. But they could not turn back now; they were here to do this for Monty. "Wish me luck."

He bowed his head respectfully and gestured for her to proceed.

It was a long and narrow corridor she found herself taking, and she barely heard her own footsteps. The scent that reached her covered nostrils was musty yet earthy; well, she was inside an ancient, resting volcano that had not erupted in centuries. The torches flickered but did not go out on her, aiding her in her journey - and then a very interesting sound caught her attention as she finally reached the corridor's end, finding a great mouth leading to a gigantic area resembling a hall. The surroundings were lushly decorated for this country's culture, the colors being red and gold. The main focal point was the life-sized lotus positioned golden statue of a woman in robes, at peace and yet invoking power in her aura.

A statue of Xian the Divine Enlightened.

Kim had found the temple - and it was not empty, as she and Monty predicted.

About two dozen figures of women in white were kneeling before the statue, praying and chanting in a mantra form...and then the arrival of another figure carrying a grand, glimmering length in both hands - _the Blade_ \- prompted them all to raise their gazes in attention. The tall form at the altar spoke in a hollow, obviously wise voice.

"Behold, my sisters, our sacred weapon of the Enlightened herself has been returned to us, and now we celebrate its protection."

When she turned her back, four or five more figures in white - this time in flowing, sheer dresses and with long dark hair - waltzed from both sides of the statue, their haunting voices filling the air in a chant that Kim did not understand...but it made her senses weak as she found herself lured in by the spell of the celebratory dance in honor of the return of the goddess' weapon to its rightful place.

The leading figure had set the gilded weapon on the altar as Monty described it, bowing her head before turning her attention back to the ones before her, both kneeling and praying while the few were still swirling and singing. Kim was not sure how long this party would go on because her bones ached in irritation to get down there and blend in, then snatch the weapon so she could get back to Monty before -

"Do not move unless you want to die now, infiltrator."

Damn it, AGAIN! Kim turned around as she heard the deadly hiss of a sword being unsheathed and found it pointing at her. Behind the ninja in front of her, Monty was held between two more, hands tied behind him, and his emotions written in his eyes while his face was stoic. He was beyond livid that they had been caught yet again. She could not agree more, so now that she was with him, she had to ask herself once more, no matter how old it was:

Could this day get any WORSE?

 **Oh, yeah, Kim and Monty are in trouble again. :S Which leads to more interesting things in the next chapter. And the song and dance was based off of "Dance of the Druids" from the TV show Outlander, in the first episode of the first season.**


	13. Kneel Before the Goddess

Chapter Twelve

Kneel Before the Goddess

Just how was it that _every time_ he tried to be stealth, he always got himself caught?! Not just by Kim in the past, but by anyone else - including these women a second time around!

"We had high hopes you would follow us again, intruder," one of them had snarled as she pointed her weapon to his heart, and he'd found himself surrounded then. He growled at them, crouching and ready to pounce - before he FELT the impressive bindings around his wrists, forcing his hands behind his back and trapping him like the animal he partly was.

Sometimes he hated this.

Now Kimberly was next, but she didn't put up a fight and allowed herself to be ensnared as he, then placed beside him with the deadly blades trained on them in case any of them tried to flee. The warriors knew she was his accomplice, but none of them even bothered to take off her hood to show her face, IF they even knew who Kim Stoppable was.

Kim Possible, as she was then...ah, the good old days. But two years was not enough to erase anything. The Xian worshippers must recognize her if they were smart enough to reveal her face once -

"Bring them to me."

They were both forced to their knees before the tall woman in silvery white robes, hinted with a wash of light blue - the color scheme matched the intensity of her eyes as well as her voice. "You dare to return to us, Monkey Fist," she said with her features calmly schooled into a mask he knew too well, but her voice and gaze betrayed everything. "And more: you have brought an accomplice to once more steal the Blade of Xian our divine."

Monty snorted and lifted his chin. "I suppose I should lie and say I returned to apologize, but that would not be completely truthful, my _lady_ ," he said sarcastically, expecting any of the other guards to prod at him for his insolence, but nothing. He decided to carry on. "The truth is, I returned for the one thing that will save my life - but how could I explain when your ladies chased me away and would have killed me?"

The woman, who appeared to be around his own age and yet remained so strikingly ethereal, raised a pencil-thin eyebrow down at him, her glare becoming skeptic. "Foolish man - the one who unearthed the Dark Destroyer and dared to come into our sacred temple - you believe you can expect our people to become fools and believe your treachery?" She took two long, graceful strides from the altar and towered over him. "For this alone, this return and with greater numbers as I have commanded on this sacred day, if I were to command my warriors to take off your comrade's head before your turn, I would do so in a heartbeat." She bent down then and reached with her hand, forcing his chin to look up into her eyes. Monty swore her gaze looked right into his soul.

There was the sound of a throat being cleared. Kim with her hood still secured over her face, save for her expressive emerald eyes, had been forgotten for the moment and had now gotten the attention back to her. "Excuse me, but before any heads can be removed, would you mind seeing the face of the imposter?" she asked, the humor from her younger days back in business that it made him smile.

The leader removed her hand from Monty's chin and narrowed her eyes, otherwise nodded without a word. She raised a finger to gesture to one of the warriors behind the bound woman, deftly grasping the top of the mask and pulling it off, revealing a fiery mane and a familiar face that caused the surrounding warriors to draw their weapons from her. Even the leader herself expressed her surprise, keeping calm as well. She crossed to stand before the kneeling one.

"Well, Kim Possible - it is an honor and a complete surprise," she said, bringing both her hands before her and bowing her head. Kim did the same out of respect.

"Stoppable, actually. But my husband is dead; surely you must have heard."

The elder woman bowed her head. "My sincerest condolences, Stoppable-chan," she responded. But then her expression reverted to bewilderment and dismay; her emotions were seen in her eyes instead of her face, which amazed Monty to no end. "But I want to understand why you have come to the sacred ground of our benevolent deity with this man." She did not turn to look at Monty, instead pointed the finger at him, and whatever response Kim would give, things could take a turn for the worse.

And Kim responded in a heartbeat or two, clear and just as serene. "It regards him, my lady. I am terribly sorry for this, but his reasons for doing this before recruiting me for the second time around are far from being amoral."

"I am Lady Amaterasu."

The pause in the air caused Monty to stiffen his posture. Amaterasu...after the heavenly sun goddess herself. How interesting. He hummed in satisfaction to himself, and if the lady herself heard, she did not acknowledge, but she did respond to Kim. "Were you named after the goddess of the sun?"

"Yes," the older woman answered, and he _heard_ the smile in her voice now. "My mother, the priestess of this temple, decreed it was to be my name, after the sun goddess herself as she foresaw that I would take the position to lead our people as she had for many generations. So..." She knelt down on her knees before Kim. "...you have not yet answered my question, Stoppable-chan." He was tempted to not roll his eyes at the respectful attention she was giving Kimberly, but he supposed she deserved it better than he because she earned it while he had not.

"Well, first that we are greatly honored to be in your presence." Monty snorted, but he was ignored. "I suppose you know the story that happened at Yamanouchi ten years ago."

A collective gasp arose from the surrounding women while their leader calmly raised a hand for them to keep their places, then stood and took her place before them both. She then raised her attention and nodded to one of her followers again, and within moments, both Monty and Kim were cut from their bonds and free to stand. He frowned, rubbing his wrists together and looking to see her do the same, but she was smiling unlike he.

Except Lady Amaterasu was far from pleased. "The destructive Yono unearthed by one Lord Monkey Fist -" Her icy gaze returned to Monty which he returned smoothly. "- to gain greater power and unleashed upon the Yamanouchi School, our allies. Yet in the end, both defeated by the Han in human form and returned from whence they came."

He seethed inside. He was offended greatly for obvious reasons, loathed but longed to have his name cleared of that mistake, and since these women were allies of Yamanouchi - the very same school made by the original master of Monkey Kung Fu, which had been the place where he began the physical journey of achieving his dreams and more - then they had every reason to despise him and always knew he would come to their temple someday.

 _"This man has done terrible deeds, and now he has come to undo which he had brought upon himself."_

~o~

Everyone around her fell to their knees, with the exception of her and Monty, as all attention turned behind to the altar where the voice came from. The fires of the torches and small bonfires flickered but did not go out even though the area darkened for a moment. Even though the topic was never explicitly discussed, it was always clear that the Xian followers were allies of Yamanouchi due to the history of their gods - it made Kim think of an old friend of hers whom she had not seen for some years now - and for Monty to be in their presence for what he did a decade ago was a grave insult, and Kim was about to explain her part when _another voice_ took the words out of her mouth.

 _"This man has done terrible deeds, and now he has come to undo which he had brought upon himself."_

Lady Amaterasu - named after the goddess of the sun and the heavens - was the first to bow before the wondrous figure in place of the golden statue that had been standing there. Kim felt her jaw drop in awe, Monty's gasp audible beside her.

There were no words to describe the majestic, glowing form of the woman before them all; in both her hands, innocent for now as it was held against her breast in a protective embrace, was none other than the blade - in the hands of its _rightful owner._ The fingers were slim and delicate, attached to a similarly graceful hand, the wrists disappearing beneath an opulent robe of silver embossed with flowers of rich sapphire blue and swirls of evergreen vines; everything about her was calm, poised and benevolent...and upon closer inspection, the flowers turned out to be _osmanthus,_ which resided on the surface of the blade itself. The woman was sheer perfection in her face, pale and honored with flawless marble beauty, her lips full and a rich rosy hue, and her oval-shaped face was framed by a lustrous, straight waterfall of ebony ink. When her eyes opened, they were a dark but glowing shade of ocean blue rivaling Monty Fiske's.

Amaterasu spoke, raising both her hands and bowed her head. "Our benevolent Xian comes before us on her sacred year."

 _Xian..._ so the deity herself had come before them at this time of year - wait, it had been five thousand years exactly, and her time had come to reemerge now? For what - wait. From her memory, the Yono was imprisoned beneath the earth forever by her hand, and if he should ever arise again, then Han would be sent after him this time; that time happened when Monkey Fist unleashed him for his own gain - at the time - and eventually was defeated by baby Hana. And this time around...the first defeater of the Yono was back, and before them all.

Her sculpted features graced with a beatific smile at the sight of her devoted followers, and then it faded when her attention landed on the two stand-outs. Her voice was hollow, but soft and sweet as cherry blossoms. _"Five thousand years of peace, and now the time is coming upon us once more."_ Her hands lowered to her sides, the blade in its case at her left side, and she descended the stairs to stand before her and Monty, the only two standing. As overwhelmed as she was at the sight of the deity who looked nothing like the Yono had - the thought mirrored in Monty's eyes - and the feeling was obvious that she could trust this celestial being.

Xian spoke again. _"Ah, a friend of the allies."_ She was referring to Kim herself, as the goddess knew beyond the mortals, so Kim nodded but said nothing. However, she was nervous for Monty and wouldn't be surprised if he felt the same because -

 _"And the one who traded his soul for the Yono's power."_ Her eyes hardened like glass before softening like the glass being melted. _"Who has sought to wield my weapon."_

Kim watched as Monty finally fell to his knees before the divine being, his jaw hanging open before he closed it and bowed his head in reverence - and in shame because of the devil's power he carried but had not used out of fear of being taken back into Yono's world. He had also stolen her great weapon once, and the goddess herself knew that. Using her free hand, she placed her palm across his forehead, causing him to look up at her with a gasp.

 _"I feel the power inside you, Lord Monty Fiske - and that of the ancient simian power you greedily and blindly fought for - but you have not committed further atrocities,"_ she went on tenderly, _"but you have yet to atone for your past if you are to free yourself from the Yono once and for all."_

"Dear goddess," Lady Amaterasu spoke, arising behind, but the deity turned only halfway with a calm gaze, "he has forsaken your sacred ground for his own means, and therefore he cannot be given forgiveness. He nearly destroyed our allies' grounds with our enemy -"

 _"- and for that, I am granting him another chance,"_ Xian interrupted patiently. _"I am well aware, my loyal servant, but I will not condemn him. He has been corrupted by power, but he is not completely far gone."_ She turned to smile down at him, taking in the lone tear that had slipped down his cheek in spite of himself; the sight moved Kim inwardly. _"I will grant you my blessing, Lord Fiske...but the time is not now."_

"P-pardon?" Monty managed, almost gasping again, overwhelmed to his very being.

 _"Your time to battle the Yono will come, but not today or tomorrow. On the eve of the spring solstice - his night where there will be a blood moon unlike any in mortal existence - we will combine our forces and march into one final battle, but it is you who will fulfill your destiny and free your own soul, repent for any sins you have committed."_

~o~

So, he and Kim were free to leave Japan and return to Middleton, but they did not take the Blade of Xian back as they intended to. It meant that a full explanation to the museum was required - without sending them both to padded cells, of course. Monty was more than disappointed, but all hope was not lost for them, or himself for that matter.

Xian the Divine Enlightened had appeared before him, blessed him and gave him her permission to use her beloved weapon - but not now. There was time to regroup, to strategize and such...but he confessed the wait would make him all the more anxious before the spring solstice came, which was barely even two weeks away from now.

The night he would finally challenge Yono the Destroyer.

His hands - covered once more with the gloves - gripped the armrests of his chair as _her_ voice haunted his memory before her followers who still could not trust him despite their deity's wisdom.

 _"I will not fight him as I once did; you unearthed him and sold your soul to him, so it is you who will finish him."_ The benevolent Xian's words still rang in his ears as he and Kim boarded the charted flight back to Middleton, this time sitting beside each other and neither complaining about it. He smiled to himself as he looked out the window to see the clouds flying past. Yes, he looked forward to the day coming...

"So, what will we do in the meantime before the final showdown comes?" Kim asked, bringing him back to attention.

He pondered this, having not given this much thought. Barely two weeks and hardly anything to do? He was not sure if returning to England would be on the agenda - unless the lady herself allowed it. "Would you object if I remained in Middleton, near you and the little one, for the time being?"

 **The naming of the leader of the followers of Xian (Amaterasu, after the real goddess herself) was for my boyfriend who loves the heaven deity in the true mythology. :)**

 **So, yeppers, the final showdown with Yono will come, but not soon. :D It's one of the moments I am most looking forward to, but for now, in the next chapter or so, more of the human Monty really is will come to the light - and it takes one little girl and her mother to do the job. And Bates the valet included. Stay tuned, read and review. :)**


	14. Life of the Party

**For anyone else wondering along with daccu65, Kim and Monty have indeed been watched from the start by the Xian priestesses and warriors, due to the target that was not meant to kill them even though Kato's death was accidental. I realize I have been forgetting to mention from my own mouth - and in the minds of the duo - that Xian's devotees have a code of honor to never kill innocents, although once in awhile an accidental casualty can happen. The same applies to not killing the monkey ninjas on the plane, rather choosing to tie them up while they retrieved the weapon of their goddess.**

 **Monty's journey has only begun to take the great turn. He has hope of redemption when he escapes Yono's clutches, but there is the question about humility and morality. Before he can enter the final showdown with the monkey god himself, he's going to face life in Kim's world to put himself to the test.**

Chapter Thirteen

Life of the Party

So, hope yet, for two reasons. First of all, it was early Thursday morning when the plane finally touched down - and that meant she was right on time for her daughter's fifth birthday. She would stop by her house and freshen up before going to pick up Sara from the hospital, where Anne would have her for the day.

Second, Monty would have his shot, but not for another two weeks at most, on the unnatural blood moon that was the Yono's solstice. He might have been an outcast of the Big Three, but at least he had a sacred day like Xian's which was yesterday. Kim had witnessed many things in her life, but never did she expect to see the Divine One before her and Monty's eyes. It should have been to retrieve the Blade and get back, but no. They were, however, blessed by the goddess herself to use the weapon very soon, which was good news.

Yet, when she remembered how the last battle of the Yono went, Kim was turned to stone, as were Master Sensei and Rufus, so the petrifying part was what she would expect but prayed it wouldn't happen. If Monty suffered that fate again...

"If anyone can convince Yono to not use his petrification powers, it will be me," he told her as they took her car which had been brought in - and they were also greeted by none other than Bates and the monkey ninjas.

"Milord, Mrs. Stoppable," he said with a bow of the head, "I trust it was a...success?" He looked hesitant as he could not tell if they had the weapon back or not, and Kim responded.

"We found the blade, but we don't have it on us. The Xian followers have it back, but you won't believe the story behind it."

Monty laughed. "Indeed, Bates. We have more than enough to tell you..."

The monkeys remained in the back with Bates while Kim herself took charge of her own vehicle, and His Lordship sat beside her in the front, smiling from ear to ear. He had told her he would give his report on the museum himself while she took care of her family business - but he also planned to _stay_ in Middleton! Why on earth -?! Oh, why did she forget? Sara wanted to see him again, and she had to ask him why and not go back to England.

"We will still update the museum," he'd promised her with that smile of his, "and they will do the same for us. But in the event of time, the decision will be that perhaps the Blade of Xian was never meant to be found by outside hands."

"And this was all part of your plan," she'd told him, knowing him too well that he affirmed, eyes twinkling mischievously.

She almost lost control and got them in an accident before Monty roared at her to pay attention to the road. She wanted so much to return the retort for the hell of it. This happened in the middle of the story she and Monty related to Bates, and now the former valet who had chosen to remain by his master's side was shell-shocked. "Milord," he said nervously, "do you really believe that this will happen? Forgive me, but there has not been a blood moon for quite a long time...how can you be sure this will occur on the upcoming solstice?"

"Nonsense on disbelieving," the lord said haughtily with a wave of his hand. "I do not know for sure, but Kimberly and I believe the lady's wisdom." By lady, he meant Xian herself. "And if she is, then the time to face my demons will be at hand, and we all must be prepared. We cannot let this happen." He locked eyes with her, but she returned it from the corner of her eyes because of the streets ahead of them. She only nodded.

The reaction on Bates' face when he took in the sight of her and Monty slightly disheveled after their adventure in the Japanese jungle towards the great mountain wasn't anything surprising, but she felt filthy and needed to clean before she went to the hospital to pick up Sara. Her plan was to drop Monty and his crew back to the lodge for him to do the same, then part ways for the day and meet up with Rufus at her parents' house. The hospital did not allow pets, so he had to be making himself at home with the dweebs if they were not blowing anything up like they did in younger days.

"I shall be keeping in touch, Kimberly," he told her as soon as they were all out of her car when she parked in the lot. She watched him go, feeling her stomach stir yet again, and now she knew it was pointless to just shove it aside. Sighing, she closed her eyes and leaned forward, pressing her forehead against the wheel but not honking the horn. Two more weeks with him might as well extend the word interesting in more ways than one.

~o~

Right now he felt like relaxing as the air conditioner washed over his face when Bates opened the door for him and the monkey ninjas to enter. A trip down to the gymnasium was in order for the monkeys to resume their training - that is, IF it was currently unoccupied, especially after the incidents.

"They have been faring well while you were away, milord," Bates told him just before he led the group out the front door of the hotel room. "But they anxiously awaited your return."

He could not help but raise an eyebrow. It was funny; his minions _missed_ him while he was gone? He wanted to laugh, but something inside him softened that they were concerned for him. He didn't need it, but they were waiting for him when he touched down with Kimberly. He was beyond honored that they never left him, not even while he was in hell - and Bates never abandoned him, or at least not completely. Bates DID leave following the attempted sabotage of Dr. Possible's station, but he didn't lose contact. Monty knew and understood why the man who raised him had to leave him the way he did; he hadn't needed the man when he was getting close to his goal, but as soon as he left, Monty felt like a part of himself had gone.

But Bates came back, pulling him free from his stoned tomb, with the monkey ninjas in tow. He thought he was alone, would always be alone and suffering in Yono's realm...but he rescued him because he cared for him since he was a young boy.

"Hmm, I appreciate that, Bates. I'm sure an objection to staying here for the time being will be in order?" he questioned, holding his hands before himself and smiling tightly, just for the fun of it and taking in the brusque response from the other man.

"Oh, not at all, Lord Fiske. I am following you wherever you lead."

He chuckled and walked past Bates to the kitchen sink to make himself some tea. "I sometimes wonder why you continue to remain by my side, even after you have retired your position. You have family, but you continue to serve me especially when I do not ask for it," he said.

The former valet sat at the table behind him. "Because whether you ask or not, milord, and no matter the times changing, you are still viable in my life as you know I am, too," Bates answered courageously, surprising him. Rarely did he ever speak to Fiske this way. "But if I may happen to inquire..."

"Yes?" Monty got the feeling he might not like whatever the man would say next, as he waited for the tea bag to soak in.

"What about Kim Stoppable?"

His body acted on independent impulse at the question, and one of his hands swiped out behind him as he staggered, grabbing the counter and nearly knocking over the teacup. "What...about her?" he ground out.

"Well, my lord, I could not help but notice that you have begun to...act," Bates answered slowly, "a tad more different, not to say by much, but it only seems to occur when you are around the young lady herself." Monty almost snorted; young lady? Kim was hardly that anymore. But Bates was the one who knew him better in that he had never engaged in a serious relationship - correction, never been with a woman who caught his attention and wondered if he or the former master were to blame for this. Now the master himself found the logical reason for this particular question combined with the last few days around Kim: his sole focus on work and the legends surrounding Mystical Monkey Power were far more important rather than getting distracted by even a female.

It was Bates that Fiske confided in - well, some of it without going explicitly - following the one night where he spent ounces of his spare time getting it all ready for her, that maybe even a hint must have led the valet to assume the lord was _smitten_ with the teen heroine. Smitten? Far from it!

If Monty Fiske could find a way to describe Kim Stoppable, it would be more than just a queen - a goddess more likely. She who was like Helen of Troy, a face that could launch a thousand ships, one where men worship her. Like the Amazonian warrior Hippolyta, Cleopatra, all those great iconic females of their time - a flickering candle to the flames that Kim was. She was not just a simple woman who could do anything; she could do the impossible and find its way to ensnare him, the stoic Montgomery Fiske who had assumed he never find someone who could meet the same standard or be on the same levels as himself. Women who flirted or tried to gain his attention were only after his wealth and the promise of being moved up in society with his title and accomplishment. He had seen colleagues with their wives, mostly trophies; how could some stand to be with them when he saw them looking to other more handsome, younger gents during the social events?

Bates had once confided that his parents had met at a gathering, both young and full of life, and the marriage had prove to be fortunate as they were already in love that they were well matched. He had wanted to find a mate in life who could share that feeling, a family that he could give them what he hadn't had in his lifetime.

He stopped his train of thought there as he realized what had become of his insides while dwelling on the possibilities that it riled him up.

His heart was beating erratically. It was not fresh, but at a time like this while he was dwelling on Kim yet again, and the very words instilled by the man who raised him; he turned his back to Bates quickly and placed a hand over his chest, but it did not calm his thundering vital organ behind his breastbone. He knew what this meant, and he did not know how to take this; he had no choice but to continue to listen to Bates while taking several harsh breaths which only worsened it.

"I do not want to offend you, milord, but is it a possibility?"

Bates' calm anxiety set him off. "I don't see how it should be!"

"Because I remember Cambodia as if it were only yesterday. The enthusiasm you displayed as you believed she would help you retrieve the...jade monkey. Foolish as it seemed at the time, I know the signs when I see them, if you've forgotten what I told you a long time ago about your parents." Monty closed his eyes and breathed through his nose; this conversation should NOT be going in this direction. However, in his mind, he did remember the feeling, but never knew how strong it would become as time went on. The stories he read about her, seeing her face and could not help but compare to numerous strong women in ancient history, the stir in his senses as he found the one to retrieve the last magic monkey icon while he was still in the early stages of adjusting to his newly mutated hands and feet...

Monty opened his eyes again and stared at the tiled wall behind the sink purely at nothing in particular. "Yes," he said, almost hissing, but not to menace. "So spirited, full of possibilities, and I had utter faith she would bring me the icon - and the prowess when we engaged. She was...irresistible that I wanted her, but our opposite sides prevented any allowance...until that night." He stopped himself there, knowing he would risk a horror-filled statement on having carnal relations with a minor, and a mature one at that.

Bates did utter a soft gasp but otherwise did not accuse him. "I happen to have suspected something along those lines, milord, when I first took note of how you would...admire her, for lack of a better term." Yes, who could not resist the sight of such a wondrous creature? "The light in your eyes the entire mission was unmistakable..."

He knew what the man was trying to tell him; his skin broke out into a sweat when the words began to dawn on him and increase the pump in his blood. He could not...he couldn't...say the words. Those words his father had said to his mother before their infant son "took" her life and closed all hopes off entirely - Monty could not say them himself as this concept which he had forgotten a long time ago but came rising as if from a deep slumber began to burn every inch of his being.

"Bates," he said finally through his teeth, "now is not the time."

He didn't want to hear anymore, instead took his tea into the other room, knowing it was becoming cold but decided he didn't care. He shut the door behind him and sat on the side of his bed, turning his back to the window and looking at the floor. Staring at the carpet would not distract him, nor would it erase Bates' voice - and the obvious truth. He never ran from anything in his life, so why was he running from _this?_

He never knew the love his father claimed of for his late wife, never gave it to his own son, and there was never a woman to match up to Monty's needs - until Kim Possible, and she'd left him the next morning. Despite that, she might be different from him in terms of adversarial, but she shared his love of adventure and adrenaline. If not completely, they were equal, and that was what he'd wanted but could not have.

When he set his teacup down on the nightstand, he found himself unconsciously reaching for the top drawer and pulled it out - and showed a necklace in a clear crystal case, on a small pillow of blue velvet. Tanzanite illuminated by darker toned iolite...the same charm he traveled all the way to Africa just for her only for her rejection.

There was a knock on the door. "Come in," he growled, turning to look up and see Bates poke his head in with an apologetic expression.

"I am not here to argue, milord, but I wish to know what your plans are now that we will remain here near Mrs. Stoppable."

The change in topic relieved him utterly that he smiled and closed the drawer which held the one thing he kept all these years and could see a second opportunity arriving. Besides any additional training, there was the matter of Kim, as well as her young daughter - and she did mention a birthday party to celebrate in two days' time. However, no invitation had been given to him, but that would not stop him. It was not like he would remain long for what he had in mind for the child who managed to worm her way into his slowly thawing heart.

"Well, we do have a pressing engagement that is about to come this week, and I'm sure you wouldn't mind coming to attend a children's gathering, would you?"

~o~

Having the party at her house, with her parents and twin brothers invited as well as a handful of her friends - though Monique was a bit late due to flying back home from her latest fashion line debut - and she did have a couple odd friends with their children on the way. It was very interesting how life could turn the adversarial stage into something you never imagined.

It was Saturday when she picked up Sara from karate and brought her straight home in time for the others to scream "Happy birthday!" to the now-five-year-old who ran to her grandparents and her twin uncles. Ron's parents as well as ten-year-old Hana were coming - they were also all she had left of him that it was a little...bittersweet. Sara needed her other grandparents and her nearly-the-same-age aunt in her life.

Then her other "odd" guests finally arrived. Dr. Drakken and Shego - who ever thought they would end up starting a family of their own, and with three girls as well as a _fourth_ on the way? First was Jade, then Ebony and finally Skye. After their evil colors of all things could not have been more fitting, and Kim could wonder how poor Drakken must take it while his much younger wife was teaching psychology at the university.

"Looking good, Kimmy," the green-skinned woman noted as she looked her over, a smile twitching her black-painted lips.

"You, too." Returning the look, Kim noted how the years had also been good to Shego, for her voluptuous frame was flaunted by the embellished black crop pants and tank set. "How's home life?"

"Well, how should I put this? Daddy D has been becoming a better cook at home than he used to be." Shego let loose a laugh, throwing her hair back that the redhead joined in. "Does that tell WHO wears the pants in this relationship?" she asked with a wry smile.

Kim stifled her laughter. Her parents and the twins were ushering the kids outside for the fun that involved rockets and anything scientific fun, which was exactly what the dweebs never grew out of; much to the relief of the matriarch herself because of how many times she told Jim and Tim to never perform their experiments in the house. The kids also enjoyed the average game of tag and hide-and-seek, but near the end of the party, it would be time to get the cake out which had been styled to fit the theme of _Mulan_ \- which was one of Sara's favorites as well as with her friends. The story itself was ironic compared to the life lived thus far...

"Kim! Oops, I'm so sorry if I am late! The plane was late with takeoff and landing."

"Monique, thanks for coming." Kim turned to hug her friend as it had been months since they last saw each other. Monique had even been there at Ron's funeral, along with the Drakken family due to respect gained for defeat of the Lowardians - and when she took the other woman's hands in hers, Kim glimpsed a catching of light and saw the source. "Wait, is this what I think it is?" she asked. The diamond was rose-cut and ringed with gold, set on a band of tiny winking diamonds. "You're engaged?!"

"You bet I am, girl!" Monique flashed her new ring with a tooth-baring grin. "I'll tell you all about it after the fun."

"Everyone is gathered out back, so please go while I get the drinks ready," Kim said. By drinks, she meant the special mojitos for the grown-ups that she specialized without Ron's help. "So, Shego, I didn't get to ask how the girls were - or the latest," she added with a glimpse to the five-month growth that the raven head proudly cradled.

She didn't answer her former nemesis' question, but Shego WAS the one to wear the pants in the marriage that the lady herself had done the proposing herself as Drakken was too chicken to do so himself. "The girls are fine - as fine as they can be, anyway." She seated herself at the island and watched the younger woman set out the lime-green arrangements for everyone. "Dr. D's a good housedad, when he's not busy tinkering around. Jade and Ebony both tried to blow up the lab more than once, but instead of grounding them for setting it on fire like he should, he just lets them get away with it with the excuse that they should be super genius like their daddy."

Kim burst out laughing. "Well, kids will be kids." She made the mental note to keep all things flammable out of the way especially when they visited during Christmas or Thanksgiving.

The doorbell rang then, and she frowned. She didn't remember inviting anyone else other than the guests already assembled, but she got curious and answered the door - and gasped at who the unexpected visitor was.

~o~

The present he carried was wrapped in fine pink and gold damask paper, skillfully tied with a ribbon of lustrous gold by his own hand with Bates' help as the monkey ninjas did not yet know how to do such trivial things even though they tried. They would only succeed in tearing the paper apart even if they didn't mean to, and the perfectionist side of Monty wanted this to be flawless just for Sara Stoppable - and he also wanted the impression good on her mother who stood in her doorway, her jaw hanging open in shock at the sight of him and Bates with the monkeys before her eyes.

Monty felt his own slacken at the sight of her. Her soft ivory blouse had short sleeves, buttoned down by two, and the skirt reached her knees and was printed with sweet embroidered flowers. She took his breath away. He almost got lost before he remembered where he was and held out the gift he'd gone out for yesterday just for her daughter, but he didn't plan to stay. "Before you say anything, Kimberly, I don't intend to stay and intrude, but if you would be so kind, would you give this to your daughter for me?"

He looked down when the rodent himself jumped into the picture at her feet, sniffing and glaring up at him suspiciously, but she told him to stand down. "Monty," she said, showing no signs of hostility but wariness, "my whole family is here, and I really want to welcome you here, but -"

"Monty!" All attention was on the buzzing little figure who ran in front of her mother. Sara's emerald eyes glittered with broad innocent happiness. "You came to my birthday! Is that for me?"

"Well, um - yes," he stammered, leaning down and giving it to her. "For you, and congratulations on being five years old now."

"Thank you!" She held the box to her and looked back up at Kim. "Mommy, can he stay?" she pleaded.

Kim still looked conflicted, but she answered anyway. "I don't see...why not." He saw it all in her eyes: she wanted him to stay here, for the sake of her daughter, but then she looked behind him to see Bates and the monkey ninjas, jaw opened again. "Oh, Monty, I don't want to be rude, but if my dad sees your minions, he might remember you as the monkey man from thirteen years ago..."

He laughed and held his hand up. If her father recognized him as that, he would do his best to convince Dr. Possible he wasn't the same madman he remembered. "I believe I will be the judge of that, Kimberly. And Sara, my dear, would you like to see the gift I bought you?" he asked sweetly.

She laughed and turned to run into the house, with himself, Bates, the monkeys and her mother close behind - and then a familiar sight surprised him. "Oh, Shego!" he exclaimed, drawing himself up with his hands behind his back, smiling at Dr. Drakken's sidekick. "What a pleasant surprise."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Monkey -" She stopped herself immediately when Kim gave her a look, clearing her throat. "Monty Fiske," she repeated, "I never thought I'd see you here. Dr. D and the girls are here with me."

So, she married the mad scientist - her employer - and had offspring with him? Monty rumbled in his throat as he thought of the irony and the humor mixed in one. "Well, I would love to hear more about happily ever afters, but the birthday girl is the center of attention." By this time, Sara had finished tearing off the wrapping paper at the island of the kitchen, her mother standing behind her. She gasped when she took in the beautiful present he had bought her.

It was a box - a music box, to be precise. The surface was a polished, realistic painting of a beach and shore in light blue tones, the painting vivid and surreal; the golden trimmings were accented with mother-of-pearl flowers, and the lock front itself was fashioned to resemble a collection of bananas, apples and other fruits. Sara opened it without trouble, and a beautiful melody filled the air.

"Oh, Monty...thank you."

Her warmth as her arms wrapped around his neck caused him to return the embrace, his being warm with her innocent happiness - an innocence that had been taken from him a long time ago but was taking its time to return to give to this little child. "You're welcome," he breathed.

 **Blue Kitsune and I decided it might have been a good idea to have Drakken and Shego as a married couple with kids (as it happened in a few other fics), and it was my friend who suggested the name ideas of the girls to me. :)**

 **I love Disney's Mulan so much I thought it'd be perfect as Sara's birthday theme.**

 **Bates had to be the one to begin to help Monty recognize what love was, especially since he'd seen the way his master looked at Kim - and oh, Monty is falling. ;) It will be a matter of time before Kim realizes the same and the two confront each other about it.**

 **This is not the end of Monty learning what it is like to have family, but it will expand in the next chapter.**


	15. Lullaby

**The song playing in the music box was a version of "The Sound of the Sea" from Celtic Eventide: Songs of Faith and Reflection, in the form you would find in a music box. There were also no written lyrics I could find for this song, so I had to listen carefully and write what I heard the best I could.**

Chapter Fourteen

Lullaby

It had been awhile since she even heard this song, but there was no mistaking the tune that was configured to work in this musical box that Monty had gotten just for her little girl. When Sara opened it, a dancing little monkey dressed in white and blue in ballet style arose, and so did the rhythm that she recognized immediately.

The lyrics of the song appeared in her mind that she found herself lost in the magic, and she was sure everyone else around her was, because who could resist such a serene, bewitching melody?

 _The sound of the sea is a soft, dreamy lullaby_

 _Blue waves washing on a silver shore_

 _The white caps are calling to hush_

 _Baby, hush-a-bye_

 _Hear the ocean's gentle call_

 _Now the bright red sun is glowing_

 _At the end of time_

 _In the distance, tides are blowing_

 _As the seagulls play_

 _On the sand, o'er the sea_

 _Flying free in the breeze and salt scent_

 _And the sea is a soft, dreamy lullaby_

 _Sleep, my darling, go to sleep_

"Oh, Monty, I love it!" Sara's embrace on him tightened by the looks of it, and he clearly was not going to push her away because she...warmed his soul. His eyes betrayed that bit entirely. He was really warming up to her daughter that it made Kim smile. "Thank you, thank you!"

"You are most welcome, young lady," he answered, his voice somewhat strangled as if struggling to keep himself together.

Shego leaned in to whisper into her ear. "Never thought I'd say this, but Hairy Hands has a soft spot for her," she said mischievously, rubbing her swollen stomach. "You'd think he'd hate kids, because if he did, I'd _never_ let him near my girls."

Having good ears, Monty's attention shot her way and glared warningly which she returned with a grin combined. Sara let him go then and took the beautiful music box into both hands. "I can't wait to show Grandma and Grandpa, Uncles Jim and Tim and the others!" she declared, hopping off the chair and running in the direction of the backyard.

Kim swallowed; this meant getting the attention of her father as she told Monty, and who knew how he would react on the day of his granddaughter's birthday. She would make damned sure to take this outside with just the three of them. It was also then that she remembered the mojitos she had to bring to everyone, so she nodded to him, Bates, Shego and the monkey ninjas and Rufus to follow her out to join the others - but not before she stopped at the same time Fiske did.

"It was sweet of you to do that gesture for her, getting her that present." Besides her little stuffed best friend still in her bedroom, Sara would also have this to treasure from him.

He bowed his head and shrugged after. "It was nothing, really. I strongly felt that just because I do not know your daughter well, this would still be a fitting token for her love of monkeys."

"Well, in that case, it was nice, and I thank you for that." She smiled and nodded for him to follow because she needed to give the adults their beverages fast; her parents, the Stoppables, the twins and the Drakken couple had been waiting long enough - and as soon as they arrived through the sliding glass door that had been left open, they were greeted with a shocking surprise and a collective cry especially from the little ones.

"MONKEYS!"

The reaction was what she expected that she nearly dropped the specialties but eventually let Monty take charge as he was more controlled at the present. Her parents, Ron's family - including little Hana whom Monty recognized but was careful to not lose it, remembering that night - and the others never thought they'd see a group of monkeys without their ninja gear performing for the kids watching. They were giving a series of moves from summersaults to backflips and air kicks until they formed the pyramid that the children erupted with cheers.

Even the grownups themselves were smiling and applauding, but now the eyes were all on her and the man beside her. She cleared her throat. "Yeah, everyone -" Save for the couple who already knew him. "- this is Lord Monty Fiske, an old friend of mine who has just arrived. Dad, you guys met."

"We did," James answered, raising an eyebrow. "Nice to see you again?" He must be thinking now that they had to be more than friends, and it made her flush.

Her mother stood up. "Oh, Kimmy, I'd love to meet your friend," she said, walking over. Kim quickly took the mojitos from him and hurried to give them to her guests, all the while listening to the meeting.

"It's a delight to meet you, Dr. Possible." He took her hand into his and pressed a brief but lingering kiss to its back that it made her mother flustered but made her father growl a little in mild jealousy. Everyone else laughed.

Now the introductions were in order. She allowed him to politely charm her parents before moving onto her late husband's family, and it was then that he stiffened in posture when it came to greeting young Hana who looked up at him with a smile that soon changed to questioning, but there was no way she could really remember him as she'd been barely a toddler.

Monty had to be having a mental panic attack because here he was standing in front of the slightly grown young girl who had defeated both him and the Yono, but while Hana didn't know him right now - because no one told her, for her own good - she knew she didn't like him. Who could help that?

She just had to watch while she took care of the kids and let the monkeys mingle with them - and she felt the worry subside. For now.

~o~

When he laid his eyes on Hana Stoppable, there was no mistaking the fire in her eyes even though she didn't seem to recognize him - the man who thought to use her as his personal weapon and slave only to be beaten by her. As for the buffoon's parents - well, they were fairly pleasant and welcoming that he felt more accepted in the house of their daughter-in-law. Monty took a look at both Mr. and Mrs. Stoppable, then at both Dr. Possibles, and the envy returned. Kimberly and Ronald grew up with both parents in their lives; one had two younger twin siblings while the other had another adopted later in life, but he himself was alone and with one parent dead while the other ignored him.

But that did not prevent him from engaging in friendly, honest - well, almost - conversation with these members of Kim's life, her own and her late husband's, greeting him and welcoming him.

"Lord Fiske, are you married?" Mrs. Stoppable asked, sweetly and obviously flirting with him much to the annoyance of her husband who chuckled in spite of himself. But it made Monty flush, otherwise holding his poise.

"No, madam. I am not and never was."

"That's interesting to note," James Possible said musingly, taking a drink from the interesting beverage made by Kim herself. "I'd have thought a fellow like yourself would attract the ladies' attention." He winked.

Monty snorted. "Believe me, Doctor, that kind of attention is lacking for me. A woman to climb the ladder because of my status escapes me that I do not have the time for such nonsense. If I ever had the interest, it would be a woman who owned herself and did not need to rely on me," he said smoothly, smiling and seeing the obvious effect it had on both matriarchs in front of him; their husbands looked fairly impressed.

"That's good to know," Mr. Stoppable said. "Our Ronald -" Sadness washed over his face that it was hard for his wife to try and not to cry herself. "- treated Kim right, and they'd known each other since they were kids."

He nodded. "I am terribly sorry about your son." He was not sure if he would ever mean it when he spoke the vague sympathy of his arch nemesis. Stoppable was gone, they would not give each other anymore problems over the Mystical Monkey Power even - but mostly over Kim's heart. Monty was wrestling with himself inside, in too much conflict given he knew Kim could never feel that way for him besides simply lust - but he had no way of knowing unless he tried at her again. A matter for another time.

Mrs. Stoppable had to ask him another question that was getting to his nerves, no matter her pleasantries. "Lord Fiske, what about children? Do you like them?"

"Dear," her husband scolded, "I think you're overwhelming the gentleman."

Anne Possible laughed and nearly choked on her mojito. "I agree. I think we should spare him the talk of parenthood. But would you just look?" she asked, gesturing past them all to where one of the monkeys - Chippy - was performing what looked like a moonwalk and made the children laugh. Besides Sara, there were the Drakken girls - two pale-green-skinned and the middle one azure like her father - as well as a couple boys and girls he did not recognize, and Hana was also amongst as she wanted to get away from Monty. "They're just having fun. Lord Fiske -"

"Please, call me Monty," he told her pleasantly. "I prefer to not have the use of my title during informal events."

"Then, Monty," James said with a cocky grin, "I should point out that to have a gang of monkeys as pets strikes me as something very...interesting. Kind of reminds me of an event to take place at my station thirteen years ago." He shook his head, creasing his eyebrows. "Some mad monkey man with crazy monkeys dressed as ninjas tried to take away our trained simian astronaut and sabotage the station itself, but the last I ever heard of him was that he vanished three years later, no word heard since."

The man was not aware that said mad monkey man was standing in front of him, but Monty did not let his bubbling infuriation show on his face. So, he was not recognized, and neither were his pack. His secret was safe, as he'd promised Kimberly. "That's very interesting, Doctor," he said.

"Ronny was afraid of monkeys when he was a boy," Mrs. Stoppable said, sighing sadly, "but Sara loves them to death. And from what she's told us, she likes you, Monty." She cracked him a nervous grin that made him surprised.

Sara - _talked_ about him? He had not expected this in the least, but he should have. Children loved to talk. "And she mentioned how you let her hold a newborn baby monkey," Anne Possible told him. "She's fond of you, and she's really gotten to you, from what I can tell."

Monty allowed himself to beam at her. Yes, the woman was right in every sense of the word. Sara Stoppable was stoking the flames of his heart. Her parents raised her far better than his own father had; that was the first grateful thing he would say of his monkey-hating adversary. As for Ronald himself, his parents had done so with him, so as far as Monty Fiske learned to take to heart on this day, Kimberly had been right when she said that no father should be the way his had been. If he had married a long time ago, had the goal had been on his plate, he could have been better than Edward Fiske ever was.

"Say, I remember you and Kimmy saying that you two knew each other," James said suddenly, raising an eyebrow, "but you two can't be more than colleagues, am I right?"

The man was hinting that Lord Fiske might be interested in his daughter in a relationship beyond professional. Well, he was right, but he wasn't a predator like he admitted to being that one night. If Dr. Possible ever found that out, then he would think less of the man who was the very same monkey man he insulted unknowingly.

He should say that his relationship with his daughter was more, but he wouldn't be honest. He wanted to be more, but one-sided was out of the question without sorting all their necessary problems first. She was beginning to understand him thus far, but there was more to come. "Not necessarily, Doctor," he said before the man barked with laughter.

"Oh, call me James, Monty."

"James," he repeated. "My relationship with your daughter is strictly professional, if that makes your protective paternal instincts feel better."

His choice of words caused both women's jaws to drop and their eyes to bulge, as well as Mr. Stoppable - but it was James Possible whom he struck most and could not help but chuckle. When he did, the other man burst out into a roar of laughter. "Oh, Monty, I like you already." Fiske earned a slap on the back of the shoulder; the feeling was a tad uncomfortable but reassuring nonetheless. He chuckled again when James continued to laugh with him, his wife and their friends joining in.

This day could not have gotten any better.

He looked behind his shoulder to see Bates sitting on one of the spare lawn chairs. The poor man was obviously bored to his bones, or at least wanted to enjoy himself but was exhausted. Sighing, Monty excused himself and walked over to his former valet.

"Bates," he said tenderly, "you should come and join in the conversation with the Possible and Stoppable families. I have just begun to understand a tad more about family...and notably my former enemy who has helped raise a bright young child." He got no response due to the fact that the fun in the background had come to a halt - and the familiar song that was _The Sound of the Sea_ filled the air.

"Monty is my new best friend," the young girl said by the time the music came to an end, and the smiles on the faces of both families - as well as Drakken and Shego and their colorful offspring - were beyond priceless. They were all affected by the magical song and the intricacy of the new gift - which turned out to be far more precious than any other present she received today...and it made Monty feel more special than ever. But he would not break down in front of Kim's family and friends, or even his former criminal partners and their young daughters who were not much older or younger than little Sara who continued to look at him with the same expressive eyes belonging to her mother who was also looking at him the same way.

There might be hope yet.

~o~

"What a day!" She exhaled and slumped into her chair by the time everyone left by the time late afternoon hit. Her parents and the dweebs - yes, she would never get tired of calling them that - left, so did the Stoppables and Sara's few friends, and Monique would be introducing her new man whom she met while out of Middleton when the time was right. Shego and Drakken took their girls home, but not before Shego made her promise they would have an afternoon coffee sometime soon, which she could not refuse. Kim looked forward to it and could not wait to help her best friend get to wedding shopping.

"This was the best day of my life, Mommy!" Sara said, hugging her at the waist, nearly suffocating her. "Thank you so much!"

She laughed and hugged her child with one arm. "You're welcome, baby. There's plenty more birthdays to come where this one came from."

"Oh, but this had to have been better than the past ones, am I right?"

Monty and his monkeys as well as Bates were staying, only because Sara pleaded with her that she had to relent just for her. He'd bought her a beautiful gift far more precious than anything, and Kim knew she couldn't call him irritating any longer. He was proving to be a...positive influence on Sara, but let's just see how it would progress over two more weeks.

"You made the day better for her," Kim answered, looking up at him and smiling, something soft and warm coming over her just by looking at him. Ron was supposed to be here, but Monty had made the day worth it if not taking the place of her husband, the father of Sara.

"And I was honored, but I should not have stayed."

She blinked. He'd been without an invitation but bought Sara a gift anyway, and he NEVER intended to stay? But as it was said: once a gentleman, always a gentleman. He meant his word, but Kim invited him anyway - and admittedly, it wasn't only because her daughter wanted her new friend to stay. She shook her head. "But you did," she reminded him.

He walked over and knelt before them both, on one knee and a hand over it so he was eye level with Sara. "I did, only for the both of you," he said softly. Sara then let go of her mother.

"Monty, do you and the monkeys want to watch a movie with me?"

Kim could not help but laugh at the look on his face. "A m-movie? Just what, pray tell, do you have in mind?"

"I'll show you!" Before he could protest, she took his hand and led him away, making way for the stairs, the monkey ninjas ooking and rushing after to join as they liked her enough to join her and their master. Which left Kim and Rufus on her shoulder with Bates, who sighed and smiled to himself.

"It's been a long time since I've seen him like this, Mrs. Stopp - I mean, Kimberly, or Kim, if I may?" he asked apologetically.

"I guess my first name either way works," she answered, then gestured him to follow her into the kitchen now that his former master, her daughter and the monkeys would be busy for awhile. She could just imagine whatever torture Sara would give poor Monty, which made her laugh. "How do you feel about tea?"

"I would be most honored."

Just nothing but a good relaxation and maybe some more "get to know you" business with the man who served her former enemy and onetime lover before it was her and Ron. She had gotten this new brand of chamomile yesterday and hoped Bates would like it. "Your daughter really is changing something in him," he went on; she could feel his eyes on her as she turned the stove on to place the pot atop.

"I've noticed," Kim agreed, but that depended entirely on what form of "change" he meant about Lord Fiske.

Bates cleared his throat before going on. "The lord has never been around a child such as yours, so his experience is very limited. As for he himself regarding his own father, as I believe I never told you much..." He stopped there, sounding doubtful about going on, but he didn't have to because Kim already knew what Monty had told her.

"You don't have to carry on," she said gently, turning around to meet Bates' somber gaze. "His mother died giving birth to him and his father leaving all parental responsibilities on you, and you did the best you could with him."

"Yeah!" Rufus agreed, although he was just learning all of this.

Bates, however, was not faring any better, which meant one thing. "Actually, there is more to the story than he must have told you. The story of his birth and the death of his dear mother is more tragic in the details..."

 **There will be more grim detail going into what Bates will tell Kim about the birth of Monty Fiske - and more bonding of Monty with little Sara. :D Just what I've been dying to get to all this time, and more to come.**

 **Without spilling too many spoilers, there will be more of Shego as well as her family, and she and her former rival (Kim) get to bond, and she might end up helping Kim regarding Monty, the man she used to work with.**


	16. Son of Man

**When I told my boyfriend that Monty Fiske had a difficult birth, he mentioned how it reminded him of Gaara's birth in "Naruto" (mother died in childbirth and father abandoned him), and I'd never thought about that until he brought it up. The thanks go to him.**

 **The title of the chapter should give away what Disney movie, what song in that movie and who sung it - as it is vital to young Monty's life spoken by Bates as well as reflected more in his own mind. :D**

Chapter Fifteen

Son of Man

Grim detail...that was what she knew was coming. Monty told her enough if not everything, and she was willing to hear the same words come from Bates as well as anything that his lord had not told her himself. Rufus looked back and forth between them, worried and quaking.

"Go on," Kim urged softly, her blood chilling already when he hadn't even begun the tale.

Bates bowed his head briefly; it was not going to be easy for him, and she wasn't going to pressure him. "Well, I do not know how to make the beginning easy. But I suppose that I should start on the day that Lord Edward Fiske - Monty's father - was to meet his betrothed for the first time. The match had been arranged by his father as well as hers due to certain meets of upstanding and financial stance."

"Ugh, arranged!" Rufus exclaimed, covering his ears with both paws, causing them both to laugh before it was back to serious. Kim wasn't surprised that Monty's parents had been in an arranged marriage, but didn't he say that his father loved his mother that much? He must have fallen in love with her despite the arrangement. England definitely had some traditions that had not changed today.

"I was just a boy of thirteen when the meeting took place," Bates continued. "Edward himself was a young man recently graduated from Oxford and was returning home, on the way to see the woman he was to marry. Though they had not yet met before then, they were given permission to send corresponding letters in an effort to get to know one another, to break the ice, as you would say." He stifled a chuckle. "The match was well arranged, indeed. The future Lady Fiske herself was much younger than he, having just turned eighteen."

So, Monty's mother was young when she got married, not much older than Kim had been so long ago. "Eighteen," she repeated, then stopped. "Wait, how old was Lord Edward, if you don't mind me asking?"

Bates cleared his throat. "Ah, hm, he was just twenty-two years of age, and very promising. He was always adamant about antiquities of the ancient world, and it happened to be one of the few things in common his shared with his bride-to-be. Her father frowned upon this, prevented her from going to university for an archaeological degree and chose to rush her into marriage," he said sadly, his eyes reflecting.

This bit of information stunned her that some part of her wondered again if Monty ever knew about this, if he chose that career field in his life to get back at his father or because he wanted it for himself. Rufus himself looked just as amazed.

"I see..." Kim did not understand how a parent could just do that to their own child, especially a daughter. She was grateful her own dad was never that and hated to imagine if she had been in a position like that. It sounded anarchic and old school. But she listened as Bates continued.

"In much a way," he said with a fond smile, "she was just like you. She was spirited, independent even with his lifestyle that limited her, but she was always optimistic and never let anything faze her - even when she was forced into such an arrangement. When she and Edward first laid eyes on each other, it was obvious to me and the rest of the staff that there was an immediate connection for them. If I had to say what Monty had of his mother, it would be her spirit, her wild raven hair, and her blue eyes mirroring his soul."

Kim closed her eyes, lost in her own mind and feeling her heart tear into more than a thousand pieces. Monty was his mother's son in more ways than one that she began to understand how deep it had cut his father's heart, depriving that love for his own son who was all he had left of - "What was her name?" she asked, her heart rate picking up.

The steam shrieked behind her. She stood up and took the pot from the fire while Bates answered. "Lady Catherine Fiske - well, Catherine Howard was her maiden name. Ironic that it sounds very much that she could have descended from the fifth wife of Henry VIII, isn't it?" he asked with a light chuckle. "When actually she did not, but that is beside the point. Edward might have lost himself when he saw her with her father. They were both young and full of life, and it was clear she loved him, too. The wedding was the following month and at the Fiske estate - the very same castle that Monty himself was born and inherited when his time came.

"The union lasted for five years. But in those five years, Lady Catherine wanted a child because it was what mattered most in the world to her. Lord Edward, however, was reluctant but agreed to give her a child and an heir to take over the estate one day. They tried so many times and with futile attempts for five years - and then one day, the miracle happened: Catherine was pregnant with their first child."

This was it then. The dark point of this story was coming up. "But she...died, didn't she?" she whispered harshly, her heart's broken pieces melting and then cooling like ice with fear.

Bates nodded. "It was a terrible winter day when the birth date arrived. A snowstorm had delayed the personal Fiske doctor from being on time, leaving myself and my future wife who was the midwife to help Lady Catherine with the delivery. Oh..." He shuddered both audibly and visibly. "...it was terrible. We did everything we could to make her comfortable, but she was in tremendous bouts of pain. The birth was difficult from beginning to end. The baby had somehow gotten stuck that we had to perform a cross-C-section without the physician's presence. It was a dangerous risk to take as it threatened both mother and child, but we had no choice but to go through with this - and it was the worst decision Lord Edward Fiske had to make as he had to choose between his wife and child."

Rufus gasped and jumped her way, diving behind what was left of her once-long hair, but it was barely a hiding place; besides, Kim barely acknowledged him as she felt her cheeks burn with tears she could not help at the terrible bits of flesh placed on the bones of the nightmarish birth of the man who would later become Monkey Fist. "My God...he made the decision to choose the baby, and I..." Could not imagine what a horrible choice it was to be forced to choose between the woman you loved and the child you made with her.

"He did not." Bates' answer might have been even more mortifying. "He could not decide, but to lose them both was the worst case scenario. However, in the end, Lady Catherine made the decision despite the agony she suffered while trying to bring the child she always wanted into the world. She told us all to save the baby and to let her die in its place." His eyes glazed over, but he didn't let the tears fall.

"There was so much blood, and time was becoming short, but the decision was made: the baby would be saved. I was a young man of eighteen on the day Montgomery Fiske was born, and it was also then - as we neared the end of the process - that the family doctor arrived too late. Nevertheless, he was present when the child came kicking and screaming into the world." The ghost of a smile showed on his rounded features. "A healthy son, and I held him when the midwife, my love Honor Browning who had grown up in the household with me, cleaned him and wrapped him in swaddle whilst his mother was being treated. I will never forget the looks of him as I held the child; everything about his mother was present in his features, but he had yet to open his eyes. As for Catherine...she wasn't so lucky, and she knew it herself. She did not have long left to live, the doctor informed us all - and that included her grieving husband whose heart took the damaging news far worse than us all.

"Lady Catherine might have gotten frail over the next few hours, but she continued to smile as she reminisced the good days with us all, and she finally had delivered the baby she longed for. She held him, too, with myself and Honor by her side. So much blood loss drained the rosy hue from her skin, and her flyaway ebony hair was pulled back but thinning. Her vivid sapphire eyes had lost their shine as she knew death would claim her very soon, but not before she spent what precious time she had left with her newborn son whom she had already named that she knew her husband would not refuse. 'Montgomery,' she'd said. After an uncle she had been close to when she was a young girl. And so the child was named Montgomery Edward Fiske.

"'He's beautiful,' she'd whispered to us and her husband, but Edward was far from moved by the sight as he would lose his beloved wife very soon. He'd not spent much time with her the entire day, and he was determined now to remain by her side until she left him. But when she gave him their newborn son to hold in his arms, I was looking into his eyes and saw no trace of love - only anger and grief, and blame. It was clear to me that he was going to lose her because the one thing she wanted most had tore her inside and out. But it was not the first time a woman could suffer during childbirth. He faulted his own son for it, but he did not show it to his dying wife for her sake. Too soon after, she died saying their son's name and pleading with her husband to take care of him."

Rufus had broken down sobbing and took her blouse collar to use as a tissue, and she didn't care right now because she realized how hard she was crying than before. Her skin flushed and seared to reaching a hundred degrees. "A p-pr-promise he couldn't keep," she uttered, hiccupping as she remembered Monty's words with full force, how his father blamed him for the loss of his mother and felt such agony to imagine a small child - a few minutes old - would not realize the burden it would have to endure growing up. She found it hard to not find it beyond saddening that what should have been a day for celebrating turned to be a death toll on a woman who only wanted a child of her own. Kim thought that if that happened to her when she'd given birth to Sara, she knew Ron would have loved her no matter what, realizing she truly DID feel for Monty's pain. His mother had given her life for his, the son she always wanted, and surely he must understand that.

"So, you see," Bates said softly, looking down at last at the tea that was becoming cooler due to the elaboration of the burden that his master - the young man he raised - had lived with his entire life, "Monty Fiske was not always the man you and your husband, rest him, have faced against. He was and still is a man who suffered. And now that you know, now that you and he are working together instead of against, I believe you two need each other more than ever."

~o~

If there were ever any known American literary works that caught his attention in his youth into adulthood, it was the well-known _Tarzan of the Apes_ , which was what he and Sara were watching right now along with the monkey ninjas - or should he say, an animated children's adaptation of the tale?

The story of a man raised by apes in the African jungle, unaware of his true heritage yet was left out because he looked nothing like the family that raised him after his birth parents' deaths. Eventually, he discovered it and began to learn the ways of man - eventually falling in love with the beautiful Jane Porter. Elements of this first story in the book series by the great Edgar Rice Burroughs appeared in this movie which so far had Monty engrossed, with little Sara sitting beside him and holding her "best friend" in her arms" - a stuffed gray monkey.

"His name is Momo," she'd told him while they waited for the DVD movie to come on; today children had televisions in their rooms, which he hadn't the luxury of. "After another great guy on _Avatar._ I pretend he really is, and that he and I will go on an adventure someday."

He laughed, and so did the monkeys. A child's imagination was vivid. He remembered having one of his own at that age, but his father had warned that too much of it could be...dangerous, and he supposed so, but that did not make it any less exciting. He had lived on danger his entire life as this girl's mother had. His attention was then shifted to the start of the movie which began obviously with an infant Tarzan and his human parents being stranded on an unknown island in a storm, as well as a miraculous song he did not remember hearing before, but the words struck at him tolerably and touched him.

 _Put your faith in what you most believe in_

 _Two worlds, one family_

 _Trust your heart, let fate decide_

 _To guide these lives we see_

As the beginning progressed, the mother ape - Kala in the original book - lost her baby before fate softened her heartache and led her right to rescuing the newly orphaned baby boy from the vicious leopard. She adopted him as her own much to the dismay of her fellow apes as well as her mate and their leader, Kerchak. Another song followed, which Sara told him the name: _You'll Be in My Heart._ Something in said part of his body told him he would never let this one go, either...but later on when Tarzan grew to manhood, another was the one to hit the spot indefinitely that Monty could not help but pay true attention and indulge in with Sara, the monkeys ooking along with him as he had to replay this song and the scene over a few times until he was sure he would remember for a long time.

 _Oh, the power to be strong_

 _And the wisdom to be wise_

 _All these things will_

 _come to you in time_

 _On this journey that you're making_

 _There'll be answers that you'll seek_

 _And it's you who'll climb the mountain_

 _It's you who'll reach the peak_

Yes, the song paralleled to his own life. He closed his eyes and continued to imagine how his life proceeded from the age of nine when Bates introduced him to the one thing he would grow to drown in his own life and lead him to what he believed was his destiny.

 _Son of man, look to the sky_

 _Lift your spirit, set it free_

 _Some day you'll walk tall with pride_

 _Son of man, a man in time you'll be_

"Monty, are you okay?" she asked when she noticed how wrapped he knew he was in this song. Music was vital to culture, but he never took it that much seriously until now.

 _Though there's no one there to guide you_

 _No one to take your hand_

 _But with faith and understanding_

 _You will journey from boy to man_

Journey from boy to man...that was exactly what he had done. He had grown from an abandoned child into a strong man who owned himself and got rid of those who tried to stop him. He answered her with a smile on his face as he watched young Tarzan morph on the television screen into the warrior he was.

"Yes, I am perfectly fine."

 _In learning you will teach_

 _And in teaching you will learn_

 _You'll find your place beside the_

 _ones you love_

 _Oh, and all the things you dreamed of_

 _The visions that you saw_

 _Well, the time is drawing near now_

 _It's yours to claim in all_

The song was drawing to a close that his body moved along with his consciousness and picked up little Sara into his arms, swinging her around in a little dance and causing her to squeal, wrapping her legs around his waist and holding her friend Momo at the same time at this best part. The monkeys watched on and cheered for them.

 _Son of man_

 _Son of man's a man for all to see_

~o~

It was approaching five that she had to get dinner started soon, and the best she could do was filet mignon and asparagus with garlic potatoes, but as she began to, and even grabbed a collection of the bananas that were still fresh for the diet of the monkey ninjas, her heart was in such turmoil because of what Bates shared with her. He volunteered to help her with dinner, but while it made things easier in an effort to not burn anything, she was crushing inside.

One: she felt more sympathy than ever for the man behind the monkey - actually it was more than that.

Two: she was finished treating him like the madman he used to be and would help him as he wanted her to.

And three: she did not know how to confront the feelings she knew she still had for them - the feelings she bottled up in an attempt to move on with Ron, but now that her husband was gone, it was coming back just like that.

"I'm terribly sorry that his tragedies have caused you further confusion..." Bates tried to apologize, but she didn't want it.

"There's nothing to be sorry about."

"If there is ever a chance to put the past behind and let bygones be bygones, Kim, I should give you my side that I had my worries when I saved him along with the monkeys from the devil's world. I had to watch and see him spend restless nights, tossing and turning, unsure of what I could do to help him - and his medication as well as therapy could only do so much. That is why I strongly believe that out of all of us..."

She finished for him. "I'll be the one."

He nodded. "He has not spoken these words from his own mouth in this sense, but he has so much faith in you," he told her, tossing the four steaks over - one smaller than the rest - and left her to boil the asparagus over the stove, and the potatoes were in the oven.

Kim sighed. "It won't be any easier just because we have history," she said, "but because of the trouble Ron and I went through in an effort to move on the one time I let Monty take my virginity and ravish me in a way I never thought I'd experience. Ron wasn't like him in the style, but he still loved me. I never thought I would ever be with Monty in that sense again, not just because of our different lives in the world...and it's more complicated than that, before I realized I loved Ron. What hurt was the fact I'd kept the affair from him for a long time until the final showdown with Monkey Fist." The corners of her eyes stung with tears that Rufus hurried to offer her a tissue to help, but it was temporary.

"Bates, I am scared. I agreed to help him, and while I am happy he is a great influence on my daughter, I can't get...involved with him the way I used to."

"Ah, I see. You are worried about shaming your husband's memory."

He read her so well. "Yeah."

"I understand," he assured her with a hand on her shoulder before it slid off moments later. "You lost the father of your child, the one who followed you everywhere you went, the one who gave his life for the world he protected at your side - but the one whom Lord Fiske has challenged time to time," he finished, lowering his eyes. "But losing someone or something at times is all part of life. We have to...move on one way or another."

She found herself looking down at the rings still around her finger from Ron. She was tempted to take them off now because she knew Bates was right about losing and gaining in life, but while she was ready physically, mentally and emotionally proved stronger to keep this gift from her husband on their wedding day wrapped around her finger.

"Well, I apologize for intruding, but how long will...dinner be ready?" Monty sniffed the air as he stood in the doorway of her kitchen, the monkeys screeching in agreement. Sara was beside him with Momo in her arms and giggling as she smelled the sumptuous food.

Kim laughed and turned her back to the stove where the meats and vegetables were still boiling. "Another fifteen minutes."

"Perfect. So, while my monkeys and this one -" He patted Sara on top of her head tenderly. "- are elsewhere, may I have a word with you alone?" he asked, then turned his attention to Bates but didn't order him to leave. The other man knew he had to, so he bowed his head and ushered Sara and the monkeys out of here - and she was alone with the man whose story made her heart cry.

His piercing eyes looked over her face. "Hmm, you know everything now, Kimberly," he noted when he took in her still red skin; she could still feel the burn as she'd been crying so much and couldn't help herself. "Your heart bleeding for me now that you know everything beyond what I divulged to you."

She was a little irritated that he was again speaking to her in that dignified manner. Men. "Yes," she said. "I still stand on my beliefs that you did not deserve it." She was worried that if she revealed the details of the blood lost from his mother in Bates' point of view, it would wound him again, and he did not need that. The both of them had been through enough; she lost her husband and he lost his mother.

Monty had come a little closer now, but not enough to press his body against hers. His gaze held hers. "Well, now that you know the blood spilled from the mother who gave her life for mine, what about us again?" he asked softly, in case Sara happened to be listening. Rufus had gone with her and the others.

"I did cover enough of that back in Japan."

"But there is more to it," he pointed out, not smiling but not hostile either. "We should start with the box that had been locked between us for so long until our barriers fell in our journey. There's no avoiding it now."

She turned her eyes away from him. He was right; they could not run from this. They agreed they had more to talk, but dinner was almost ready and her daughter as well as his minions were in the living room. Then she felt his still-gloved fingers on her chin and turned her eyes back to him. His impassive expression remained. "Kimberly, please tell me again. And begin with how you found me, without insulting me, the night I brought you into my bed," he breathed; he was not drawing her into his clutches, but he was pushing the only boundary that was others in the distance, and any of them could walk in on their discussion if they did not hurry.

"Fine, Monty." She gently pulled her face from his strong touch which left her skin searing like it used to. "It's been years since I was with a man, after losing Ron and after you - but I was sixteen years old at the time when I handed myself to you without a fight. Before I met you, I looked up to you because you were the most attractive, handsome man I'd seen, but it was a silly girl's fantasy. When I let you take the only thing I would give to the man who was right for me, it was my dream come alive...but I am not that girl anymore. I am a grown woman now. I am a single mother with a daughter."

"I understand. You control your urges now, and not the other way around." He nodded, no hostility in his manner.

"Exactly." Kim took a deep breath, not wanting to provoke him as she did before.

Monty's voice was slightly strained. "I will never forget you calling what we had a mistake, but I am willing to accept it for the time being. I have come to realize that other points of view are valid. As you said when we spoke of power, I cannot force my viewpoint on others and expect them to assume it." He then bowed his head for her to continue. While she did, in her mind, she felt the glimmer of hope that he might give up the Mystical Monkey Power after all, but like she said, she didn't want to provoke another heated debate.

"Okay," she said, "in the months and weeks that followed me leaving, I romanticized it in my mind, turned it into something that it wasn't." She looked at him now half in humor and half in wariness. "It was our next encounter, after the..." She hesitated there, but he knew what she was going to say.

"You may call it what you did before: a mistake."

"Mistake," she repeated, nodding. "After the mistake, our next meeting showed me the difference. Even though it was years later, and I was out of high school, that I put the pieces together."

His face showed first sadness, but eventually shifted to thoughtfulness. "That would have been..." He frowned then, furrowing his brows. "No, you were not at the Yamanouchi School when I attempted to gain the Lotus Blade, so it must have been when Amy -" The shiver was evident in his voice and what he managed of his body language. "- kidnapped that relic Sensei, used him to influence your husband to find him, thus finding me." Kim nodded.

"Exactly. You were in exactly the same situation at the zoo as I was at your castle: you were alone, separated from your backup, your ninjas included. You were trapped, unable to escape a powerful, obsessed admirer who wanted you sexually. There were only two differences between my situation in your castle and yours at the zoo."

Again, Monty's expression displayed a certain growing irritation, only to change into contemplation. "The one difference," he returned in a low voice, "is obviously that you, Ronald, Sensei and...what was that Yamanouchi girl's name?"

"Yori."

"Yes, Yori." He snapped his fingers to acknowledge the prompted memory. "Anyway, the four of you were there to rescue me from her clutches. I must admit that I am at a loss to know the second."

To tell him was painful especially after the story she'd been told earlier, and she felt like she was criticizing him, labeling him low like she had days ago across the world. "You're...desirable," she confessed. "When the desirable force their...romantic will on someone, there's a chance the act may be romanticized, even by the victim, as something positive. It becomes an act of devotion, or an expression of love. When the undesirable do something like that, it's always stalking." She took a deep breath. "I had a hard time realizing this myself. I acknowledge that I'm desirable, so it took a long time to realize it."

"And Amy wasn't desirable." He nodded, understanding. "And you are no longer the impulsive girl of sixteen, but a rational woman barely reaching her third decade of life."

She was happy he was on the level of rationale and agreeing with her. "I will admit you still are...desirable." And it made her guilty as ever, but there were two more weeks to sort this out before they went off into a battle with the supernatural. "But I'm not about to act on it until - and unless - my rational mind tells me it's a good idea. And I want you to respect that." Her hand which still held her wedding rings reached to take his into it, holding it firmly in her grasp. He stared down at it for a moment, unblinking, before he sighed.

"Very well." Monty actually granted his approval. "I do not know about you...but I feel more comfortable and better."

 **Tarzan and its songs - especially "Son of Man" - is very inspiring and universal for every journey in life, man and woman, alike. :') The moment I listened to the song again, I knew this was Monty Fiske growing from boy to man and everything he does with his life. And the idea for Sara to have her best friend the stuffed monkey (yes, the name also from Avatar) was a great addition to her and Monty's bonding. In addition, "Tarzan of the Apes" mentioned is also the first in a series of the stories of the ape man by the great American author mentioned.**

 **It was hard emotionally to bring to life the tragedy of his birth and his mother's death. She was a really brave woman, giving her life for her newborn son's, for the baby she always wanted more than anything. Not everyday you see that. And as for her maiden name, Catherine Howard WAS the fifth wife of Henry VIII of the mid-sixteenth century; she was executed in 1542 for her shameless infidelities.**

 **So, more of Kim and Monty examining their complicated relationship, and more to come, but I don't need to keep saying that as it is obvious by now. :)**


	17. Dinner, Movie and a Book

**I confess doing this chapter was difficult, and you'll see why.**

Chapter Sixteen

Dinner, Movie and a Book

The smell of the slightly burning meat behind her forced her to freak out and return her attention to it, all the while feeling his eyes burning into her back. "Oh, damn it!" She hoped Sara did not hear her curse. Behind her, Monty chuckled at her slightly colorful language. The sound did not provoke the response in her nerves, but it was a comfort anyway.

"I should leave the matriarch to her preparations," he said smoothly, turning and leaving; his footsteps departing were the giveaway of his actions. She was glad he did not come in and swipe a piece of the food before she set it all at the dinner table.

She had everything set and bringing them out, two at a time, to where all the guests were waiting - and the monkeys were eagerly accepting the bananas as politely as they could. Because it was her birthday, Sara got her dish first, followed by Monty and Bates after him, Kim saving herself for last. Rufus even chomped down the parts of the steak Sara cut off for him because she had a smaller stomach. Dinner was scrumptious, according to the man himself whose smooth accent made her flush because she found herself momentarily distracted by the equally smooth bobbing of his throat as he swallowed a bit of steak. How could you even help THAT?

When dinner was over, she cleared the table - and was surprised that _Monty_ offered to help her out. Never _did_ she expect him to be such a gentleman for anything like this. "You filled all of our stomachs," he told her suavely in front of the others in the room, an eyebrow cocked as he smiled charmingly, "so the least I can do for you is help you."

Kim sniffed and laughed. "Help me only to make another move on me?" she joked, causing him to pause rigidly and raise both eyebrows at her.

"Excuse me," he said with mock-hurt, "but what exactly are you insinuating?"

"You know exactly what: I do the dishes -" She turned on the faucet at the same time, all the way to hot. "- and you watch until you come up behind me..."

"Oh, I beg to differ! And what if I did? You would turn the tables on me and bring us back to the next encounter not long after...Amy?" He did not enjoy saying her name, but he did anyway. "A repeat in front of your daughter?"

She blinked. He really was making fun of her, wasn't he? "Honestly, I am the hostess and I'm the one who's doing this."

Monty held up both his hands as if surrendering. "Now, really, there's no need for this. Let's just be doing this together. It will make things go much faster for you if you had an..." He was now removing the gloves, peeling the black cloth away to reveal the secret that he hid from Sara, because they both knew that once she learned of this, she would ask too many questions and somehow tell everyone around her. "...extra set of hands."

"Do your feet count as hands as well?" She nearly giggled at the look on Monty's face. Since it was still Sara's birthday even though the day was ending, she did not want them arguing again. "Fine, but look, no funny monkey business, okay?"

"Har, har," he replied, tucking both gloves into the pocket behind his pants and joining her. "I daresay I forgot to laugh."

So, they worked side-by-side, her washing them and then passing to him to dry before setting on the rack. She decided to make light of their earlier conversation since she'd noted how perked up he was when he, Sara and the monkeys came into the kitchen. "So, you and Sara enjoyed that movie." Who could resist a movie like _Tarzan?_ That perk returned to his face.

"Yes, I did, actually. However, the story wasn't of the same depiction as I imagined Burroughs himself would have imagined it, but it was still well modified, and my ninjas found it intriguing." He went on to explain how he seldom watched television, and the only time he ever would was when the news was on, or anything documental or historical. He was more a reader than a watcher, so seeing a movie version of one of his favorite stories was most interesting in itself.

"Sara loves watching them," Kim said, "and sometimes I worry one of these days the DVD player will melt or something if she keeps doing it over and over again." He shared a laugh with her over this then.

This seemed to settle them rather well as they went to finish up, and by the time the last dish was set and Kim was putting whatever leftovers into the tupperware to be saved for later, Monty leaned against the counter and watched her. "Kimberly, I admit this was not what I had in mind when I decided to come by, but nonetheless, I found it very enjoyable especially with your company present."

"Well, you know who you should really thank is Sara." She turned to find him drying his hands. "She was so happy to see you and the gift. She won't forget who gave it to her," she said with a grateful smile.

He returned the smile. "Then I was correct in my assumption and grateful that it was right on the mark."

"You know what they say to assume: makes an ass out of you and me." She almost laughed and hurt her bones when she noticed the expression on his face slightly changed - and so did his tone.

"Yes, I assumed I did..."

She had no clue what she might have said to upset him, but she tried to resolve it. "Monty, I was just making a joke, that's all," she said, but his expression didn't change.

"Yes, I know it. I suppose I was only thinking a different thought is all."

It was then that she realized what it was and winced. Oh, that...what a wonderful way for herself to put her shoe into her mouth. "Well, I mean, you know, with all our past encounters, it's just - well, you know..." She trailed off because she didn't know if what she wanted to say would set him off.

"I see." From the look in his eyes now, he could tell she wanted to let this go, and he didn't want to ruin this night for them both, especially after how things had been looking rather well. "We wouldn't want a repeat of our 'past encounter' in this endeavor, do we?"

She frowned as she tried to make sense of when this happened, this particular "past encounter". "When was that?" It was then that she noted the bit of...humor...in his expression, and it clicked in her brain. "Oh, that was it!" She grinned. "We knew you found that gem and were trying to find the ultimate weapon." Hana, her mind added, and none of them knew at the time. "When we headed for the temple and faced you and your monkeys."

Monty openly grinned. "Just the two of us squaring off; we were well-matched. While most of my minions were trapped in the sand, you insisted that Ronald..."

"I was telling Ron to tell Yori that we were a couple," she interrupted. "God! Could I have been so stupid back then? There I was, fighting a very capable criminal, but I was more concerned that my boyfriend tell a girl, who once had a crush on him, that he was off the market."

"As you said, you were young and impulsive." He smiled, but then his expression became serious. "The three of you could have easily defeated me that day, had you remained focused upon the matter at hand. I freely admit that we were well-matched, any contest between the two of us could have ended with either of us victorious. However, your companions could have easily and quickly subdued my minions and then assisted you against me; turning the situation decisively in your favor."

"And let's not let something like that happen again," she agreed.

"I suppose it would be too sudden to ask if you wouldn't mind having a friendly spar for old time's sake, though I think we're still good to go, but due to the matter that will be happening in less than two weeks, perhaps we should at least get the chance to go one on one."

She back against the closed fridge door, her body feeling numb before flaring at the thought of facing him off in personal combat - even if it was just practice, and she knew she needed to get back in the action again, especially after nearly falling out of the plane. "Yeah I admit those Xian warriors really threw me off, and I don't want to come off rusty, which I'm not, of course," she said, folding her arms across her chest.

His eyes twinkled. "Of course, you are still in the best shape of your years while I'm close to being what you might call an old man."

"I didn't think you were that old," Kim blurted as she remembered that he was supposed to be close to forty and yet seeming to be still young without any grays or wrinkles to show for it. Monty's laugh was dry and sarcastic.

"Yes, but even age can be noted due to the mind and not the body as one would believe..."

She inhaled and let it out; he was right. He wasn't a young man anymore, even though he sort of looked like it. "Monty..." She had no idea what else to really say, but then they both heard someone enter, noting that it was Sara with one of her DVDs in her hand.

"Mommy, Monty, are you still coming?"

"Just what are you going to force me to watch now?" Monty asked with a raised eyebrow yet again - and then his jaw dropped when she showed him. "Another Disney movie?!"

" _The Jungle Book."_

~o~

Oh, she was forcing him to endure yet another children's animated film! Not that Monty would refuse, not that he didn't enjoy the last one, because he enjoyed Rudyard Kipling's books as well, and this was an adaptation - "Ah, good choice. I suppose you yourself didn't know this was also based off a book, did you?" he asked, hiding his hands behind his back now that he remembered that his gloves were off, praying she did not notice.

"No, I didn't," she said, now looking intrigued.

Well, nowadays, children figured why read when you could watch. "Yes, it was written long ago by an Englishman named Rudyard Kipling, who was born in India, and he actually wrote these stories for his daughter," Monty answered. What he would not tell her, at least not now, was that Kipling's daughter died of pneumonia when she was a child barely older than Sara was now. Her interest had gotten broader.

"Really?"

"Indeed. Actually, I do have a copy and I can let you borrow it, if you wish to read the stories. It is a first edition, so you have to be careful with it." He could never have parted ways with one of the other great classics his childhood and young adulthood did not deprive him of, and Bates had been the one to first read them to him. Kim looked astonished as she did not expect to hear him reveal that he had such a prized possession. Her daughter, however, was smiling ear-to-ear.

"Do you think you can read it to me?" she asked.

Monty couldn't help finding the grin contagious and smiling back at her. "Perhaps later, if you wish; that is if your mother doesn't mind at all." Sara turned to her, jade eyes gazing at her and asking for her to say yes. Kim obviously doubted she would even bring herself to say no and nodded.

"Okay, but why don't you go ahead and get the movie ready? We'll be right there in a moment."

She turned her full attention to Monty then, her astonishment remaining. "I never thought you'd physically carry great English or American classics around for recreational reading."

He smirked. "There is still a lot you don't know about me, Kimberly."

Just like before, the movie did not fail to amuse him, and it had wondrous storytelling involving vivid characters amid the exotic Indian jungles, combined with a captivating combination of music, humor and dramatic moments - all creating a lush tale true to the original story if also changed in places for the sake of families. Anything with monkeys serving as antagonistic or protagonistic, he enjoyed with his minions, and Sara did as well. The apes in this film were obviously the opposite of good, but that did not mean the story was any less a bliss.

The main young hero returned to the home where he belonged, but his memories of living in the jungle would always remain with him as his friends always would - a stark parallel to Kipling's life of being born in this very location before he returned to the country where his parents were born; England, none other.

Unfortunately, the hour was growing late, and he had to get back to the lodge, so tonight could not happen to read Sara the story as he promised her. Her lower lip stuck out in the infernal puppy dog pout she inherited from her mother, and it dampened his insides because he should have promised her - but he did honor one such. Kneeling before her, he pulled the first edition of Kipling's tales and handed to her, holding up a finger before her eyes - and his hands were covered once more - and said firmly, "Remember I said to be careful with this?"

"I'll make sure of it," her mother promised, standing behind her and putting a hand on her shoulder. "Night, gentleman - and monkeys," she added, earning the collective ooks in response.

"When will you wish to see me again, Kimberly?" Monty had to ask, because he strongly longed to spend as much time with her and the little one as much as possible. She looked at him for a moment before sighing softly, slumping her shoulders briefly.

"I don't know yet - but you can call me anytime." She handed him a slip of paper with her home phone, and then promised Wade could hook him anytime. He smiled down at her, baring his teeth.

"I bid you good night - and to you, little princess," he said to Sara, making her giggle.

He left the Stoppable house then, looking behind and could hardly believe his luck today. He'd spent nearly the entire day here, and hardly any rough edges, which was miraculous. But while he knew he had Kim's good graces, he still felt like there was more work to be done besides what transpired today, and it would be a form of the old-fashioned courtship - a field which he had lacked despite knowing certain aspects as he matured.

"Bates," he said as soon as they returned to their lodge room, and the monkey ninjas retreated for the sofa in the sitting room to crawl for bed - but not before sitting before the latest on the television - and left him with the man whose advice he counted on in younger years and needed now. "I don't suppose there is an easier way to say this, but I intend to court Kimberly."

"Ah, hm, I anticipated this would happen, milord," the other man replied with a nod. "But how do you plan to do this?"

Truthfully? He had no idea how, and all he could come up with were the usual things: flowers, a gift, and perhaps anything else a man could charm a woman, but not with Kim Stoppable. What would work was knowing honestly what she enjoyed, and he would make it about her. That had to work beyond anything of the ordinary. "I wish I knew," Monty confessed. "I want to know what entices her - not in that sense, of course," he added with a crooked grin. "I wish to know how to truly experience the happiness that comes with making the other the same. I made the mistake of rushing into desire without fully examining, no matter the circumstances at the time." After spending so much time with her and her young daughter, Monty Fiske began to realize how much more to life there truly was besides the power he had chased long and hard after, and now he would proceed with giving Kimberly anything she wanted even if she didn't ask.

Bates looked utterly amazed and closed his jaw. Who knew what he was pondering at the moment. "Well, my lord, to charm a woman is very complex, as you know, and given I know you very well, given your past, you fear risking any issues to follow," he stated. Monty nodded; there could be no room for trial and error. "However, if you were to simply show your affection in a manner that is genuine, a stroll or a fabulous evening dinner - maybe a small token - would be appreciated. I have done so with my late wife when we were much younger, and a trip to the seashores was her fancy."

All in all, what Bates was telling him that in order to please Kim, he had to know her preferences as it mattered most to show he truly cared about her. Monty closed his eyes as his heartbeat quickened with the thrills.

Yes, he knew what to do now - and he knew just the finishing touch for the time.

 **Blue Kitsune and I found the information of "The Jungle Book" by Rudyard Kipling himself on Wikipedia: The stories were first published in magazines in 1893–94. The original publications contain illustrations, some by the author's father, John Lockwood Kipling. Kipling was born in India and spent the first six years of his childhood there. After about ten years in England, he went back to India and worked there for about six-and-a half years. These stories were written when Kipling lived in Naulakha, the home he built in Dummerston, Vermont (just north of Brattleboro), in the United States. There is evidence that the collection of stories was written for his daughter Josephine, who died in 1899 at six years of age by pneumonia; a rare first edition of the book with a poignant handwritten note by the author to his young daughter was discovered at the National Trust's Wimpole Hall in Cambridgeshire in 2010.**

 **Now Monty is going to begin the traditional method of learning how to treat a lady right as well as understand the kind of romantic love that Kim has lived with. And while Monty has gotten enough help from Bates, let's see how Kim gets her own side of aid. ;)**


	18. The Courtship Begins

Chapter Seventeen

The Courtship Begins

She had expected to go to sleep and have another nightmare about Ron, but it never came. Instead, her mind was filled with thoughts of a certain monkey man who rocked her world once and was apparently doing it again.

Just here it went again as soon as her body melted into the boiling spring that was slumber...

 _She felt the immediate heat that had been ignited as he came to her; his shirt was slightly unbuttoned and noting that she found herself mesmerized by him. Their bodies were mere inches from each other, but their lips were in close proximity to touching, feeling the warmth of his breath as he leaned in and covered her mouth with his. Oh, that familiar spicy taste she recalled so long ago that sent sparks coursing throughout her entire body...she found it hard to resist such temptation. Kim knew this wasn't intentional, but she found herself relaxing within his arms and wanting this to last for a while._

When her eyes opened again, she FELT it below her waist and moaned at both the sensation as well as the sheen of sweat that stuck her cami and short set together. The heat from the dream - she was burning feverishly as she looked around only to see that he wasn't here.

"Ugh." It had been awhile since she had these dreams - much less of HIM. It had also been awhile since she had them of Ron. When she told Monty that the young man who married her after college didn't excite her - the first time they made love after beginning to patch it up was good if not entirely great. Not that Ron didn't do a great job, but he was good because he loved her enough in an effort to please her instead of himself. Her arousal was the same as it had been with Monty that night, but because of the effect of the argument she and Ron had before she lost her memory - and seeing Monkey Fist's stoned form being taken into the ground before Yamanouchi - she had a hard time really enjoying it, but she pretended to be fully turned on emotionally for the sake of the young man she'd known all her life and who she knew was her future and not the one who was their sworn enemy...but things had changed. Her husband was dead, and the man who really set her aflame was in her life once more, fighting to atone for his sins.

How could she just pretend he didn't have this effect on her again? Already the spot between her legs was aching; the itch was not going to go away by itself. Kim sighed as she knew that if she didn't do something to ease that tension, she was not going back to sleep. It was half after midnight. She pulled it out from the top drawer of her nightstand - she had a family picture of herself, Ron and Sara as well as Rufus - that she kept hidden and only used when it got this bad. It had been a long while, like she said, as she held the vibrator and slid her shorts down while making herself comfortable. She slipped it in, setting the thing at a moderate setting while moving it around.

She closed her eyes and threw her head back, her cheeks flushing with the intensity through her nerve bundles. She gritted her jaw as to be quiet and not wake Sara in case. Rufus was fast asleep at the foot of the bed, so she needed to avoid waking him with her late-night ministrations.

When it was over, her peak reached and coated her hand with herself as well as the length that wasn't the real deal. Shutting it off, she reached and put it back where it belonged. If she had another wet dream about Monty, it just might get "worse".

Around eight she awoke, and feeling refreshed. But it was the phone ringing that woke her up and not the wrist Kimmunicator. Groggily, she put it on speakerphone. "Hello?"

 _"Rise and shine, Kimmy! I hope I did not wake you."_

"Shego!" She sat up and rubbed her eyes. "No, I just awoke anyway."

The other woman laughed hysterically. _"Well, that's good to know. Listen, we're still on for our G-night -"_ By G-night, it was girls' night out. _"- you, me, Monique and your mom. Drakken has some business to take care of; an investor is looking to buy one of his products or something, so my girls are coming, too, if that's okay."_

If Shego was bringing her kids along, then that meant she had to bring hers, too. "Yeah, sounds like a plan. Our kids playing while we still have our fun sounds good enough," Kim agreed with a wink at Rufus who blew a whistle that ladies' night became mom and kids night. Well, how bad could it be?

So, ladies' day out at the mall, and spoiling the kids today. Club Banana - still her favorite place and thanks to Monique's regular employee discount - following the FYE for the latest new movies, maybe old ones re-released, and then lunch at the pizza place. Now it was onward to the park for the girls, and for the women to have their personal space. They were reaching a quarter to one in the afternoon by this time.

Today was great, and the girls were enjoying themselves. However, in the midst of Monique talking to them all about her new man - and his name was Brian, whom she met while out of town - while continually flaunting her new ring like they were in high school again, the Kimmunicator rang that Kim knew she had to take this. "Sorry, Mom, everyone," she apologized. When she was a few feet away - not that she had anything to really hide - "What's the sitch, Wade?"

Because his skin was dark enough she could not see a blush, but it was evident in his voice. _"You're probably gonna kill me for this, but Monty Fiske is calling for you that he asked me to patch through to you."_

Kim blinked. "Monty wants to talk to me, at a time like this," she stated. "Patch him through."

His face appeared on the screen, looking rather...strange, for lack of a better word. _"Kimberly,"_ he acknowledged, a smile finally gracing his handsome features.

"Monty," she answered, "what can I do for you? I'm at the park with Sara, my mom and a handful of friends right now."

He blinked a few times himself before clearing his throat. _"I apologize for not noticing this was a bad time, but I don't intend to keep you. I have one question to ask you. Would you be interested in..."_ His mouth twitched as if trying either not to laugh or lose himself. _"...having dinner with me?"_

She felt like she was going to fall over any second. "D-dinner?" she repeated, stunned. Was he...asking her out on a _date?_ "Like a -?"

 _"No,"_ he answered quickly, shaking his head. In the background, there was a screeching noise that he turned to his left angrily. _"Excuse me, Miko, where are your manners?!"_ he barked, presumably at one of his ninja monkeys out of control, making her laugh. Examining further, he was in the gym of the lodge with them. They were stealth enough to go in and resume their training when it was unoccupied. _"Pardon the interruption,"_ Monty said when he turned back to her, _"but no, not like an actual date. More like a friendly evening between acquaintances."_ She could have sworn he was blushing like she was now.

She had not done anything like this since Ron died, and there were a few places she could think of that did not involve stirring memories. She still went to Bueno Nacho and took Rufus and Sara with her, but anything romantic was out of the question - unless Monty was doing this for her, because he was sincere about it, and he was too shy to admit it, choosing to say "friendly" instead. She was torn between saying yes now, but something inside her needed the second opinion from the three most important ladies behind her - even if it risked hurting his feelings now.

"Let me get back to you on that," she told him, "as soon as I get home."

As expected, he was disappointed. _"Very well. I shall await."_ The signal ended and returned to Wade, who was fighting to keep a straight face.

 _"Sounds serious, Kim. I think you let him down."_

"It's not like I said no!" she pointed out. He shrugged nonchalantly.

 _"Maybe not, but you know how a man like Lord Fiske can take a not-so-straight answer; in a way, it's like saying no."_

Maybe it was, but she didn't even know what to tell him now. She was busy at the moment - if you could count your kid and her friends playing near you busy. As well, your mom getting a call from the hospital herself that it was an emergency. "Well, I'll get back to him soon, Wade, and right now I got a major sitch of my own," she told her genius friend before the connection broke off and she returned to the site.

"Sorry, Kimmy," Anne said when she returned from where her granddaughter was on the spinning wheel, "but I got to run to the hospital. It's an emergency." She kissed her forehead and then said good-bye to Monique and Shego, before both pairs of eyes were on her.

"Sitch, _Kimmy?_ " Shego repeated the use of her nickname with a wink, and Monique giggled like a schoolgirl again. Kim bit her lower lip nervously, turning to look at the girls having fun before focusing on her friends again, forcing the words out of her mouth.

"Remember Lord Fiske?"

Monique's eyes widened. "Oh, that charming British gentleman we met yesterday at the party? Yeah, girl, was that him?" she asked excitedly, while the green-skinned woman cracked a crooked, knowing grin and made the heat in Kim's skin turn hotter.

"He asked me to dinner, but I didn't give him an answer, so I don't know when yet."

She sat down between them in time to hear both of their sides, beginning with the best friend she'd known since high school. Monique raised an eyebrow. "You don't know, girl, because you're too scared to say yes. Come on, I saw how you two were acting." She waved her finger in Kim's face. "Don't go denying that there's something there that I KNOW I saw. Lately, you have been a more upbeat now, and I have seen how he looks at you, and let me tell you he was _totally_ into you."

Kim gawked. Monique didn't know Lord Monty Fiske as the demented Monkey Fist, and she was trying to set them up based on what she saw yesterday at Sara's birthday - and oh, no, now Shego.

"She's right, Kimmy."

"Come on, you guys!" She threw her hands in the air. "I haven't even been on a date with anyone since -" Her former nemesis in hand-to-hand combat cut her off with a clicking of the tongue.

"Yes, we know, and we completely understand. We've seen how you were when he passed away, but it's been two years. It was devastating, and no one can compare to Ron, and we all get that."

"Ron was a _great man_ ," Kim returned, the pain returning if only a little. "He was everything to me, and yet..."

Shego interrupted her yet again with her sharp fingers coming up to grip her chin if not painfully, forcing her to look into much darker emerald orbs. "Kimmy," she said firmly, "we know you miss your Ron, but he wouldn't want you and Sara to be without someone there for you. Fact is you seem to already have feelings for Monty boy, and you're only putting up the wall because you don't want to risk falling in love and getting it broken. We all have been in that scenario, and you only live once; don't force yourself to live your life with just a glass half full."

Her chin let go, Kim let her head slump forward. Yeah, she was physically ready to move on with her life and for Sara's sake, but as she said before, her heart was a much deeper problem, and - wait, Shego said that Kim had _feelings_ for Monty Fiske!

Okay, maybe she did, because of over the last week, they'd gotten to be quite...close, and he'd been so good to Sara. Last night she had a dream about him, they sorted out their past issues - but now there was the feelings part. He made it blatantly obvious he still felt the desire for her as he did back then, and being in Yono's hell did not alter that. Last night on her part was enough for her to say that those feelings of longing never went away, even though she DID put them into the darkest reaches of her subconscious for her future's sake.

"You're right," she said finally. "I got to get back to him." This wasn't going to be an undying love declaration, but she would agree to a dinner date at some fancy restaurant, letting him treat her because he was making it about her; he didn't say it outright like that, but it was obvious enough. "So, you guys...can you help me out once I've arranged a date, time and place with him?"

Both her friends grinned triumphantly.

~o~

 _"Wednesday sounds right."_

 _"Done. I shall pick you up at seven sharp."_

When she did not answer him right away, he'd assumed she was too frightened to give him a response, which wasn't a surprise, because women who had either not yet been with a man or, in Kim's case, not been courted in awhile tended to shy away and ask for her closest friends' advice before responding.

He made sure to have himself prepared as best as he would be for her, and with Bates' help and the monkeys - the best the animals could be, at least. He was dressed in black - from his collared shirt to his trousers and favorite gloves - and carrying a bouquet of flowers in his lap, courtesy for her. This arrangement was a simplistic beauty with red gladioli and green orchids as well as some fern accents that he prayed she would like it. He considered all red roses, but typical romance wasn't his forte, and he didn't want to overwhelm her with that.

"Good luck, milord," Bates told him before he left the lodge, and the monkey ninjas ooked in agreement. He smiled at them all and bowed his head in thanks before departing for the Stoppable home.

Sara would be with Bates at the lodge while Monty took her mother to the one restaurant he had in mind in Middleton; she had never been there on an actual dinner date, not even with her husband, but he didn't know why because it never occurred to him to even ask until it was too late.

When he rung the doorbell and waited with the flowers, his body ached to shift as he anticipated the wait and arrival of the lady of the hour - and then the door opened, but the one who answered was not the woman herself. Instead it was - "Ah, Sara, what a surprise," Monty said with a soft smile and canted his head down at the young lady who was beyond happy to see him.

"Hi, Monty," she said. She was wearing a t-shirt with a monkey and tight pink sleeping pants. "Mommy is getting ready."

"So I gathered. May I come in?"

She stepped aside for him. He found his attention on the staircase as he waited much longer, and now his nerves were going again. How much longer was he going to have to...? "You look cute tonight, Monty," Sara said suddenly. He jerked his attention down at her and blinked in surprise before recollecting himself.

"Pardon me, Sara, but the word to call a man is _handsome_ ," he corrected her. "Handsome, not cute. Will you remember that?" She nodded, and then another voice entered the air from above them.

"She's right. I won't be shy about it: you're dashing tonight."

Monty felt his jaw drop when he laid his eyes on the goddess descending down the stairs. First he glimpsed a pair of black suede heels and then long, toned legs disappearing beneath a royal blue skirt; the dress itself was sleeveless, had a subtle V-neckline, and had draping to grace her curves. Her jewelry was very elegant; her earrings were cut crystal drops attached to a few golden coins, and her bracelet was an opened ring cuff of gold. She was...Aphrodite divine herself.

Kim came to stand in front of him with an upturned nose and seductive smile - maybe not purposefully on her part - that he found irresistible. Baring his teeth in a broad grin, he handed her the flowers. "Will these be too much?"

"You actually did well," she answered, taking them and holding them close before turning to look at her daughter and the rodent who was now perched on her small shoulder. "So...where are we going?"

~o~

"The Golden Elephant Palace," she noted when she drove them to the destination. She was the one driving because she wanted to, because he was doing so much for her tonight that she wanted to give him just a small token back if it wasn't anything like... _this._

Standing outside the front door, you are taken immediately back to India; the arches and the mosaic patterns could very much be an actual temple, and the fountain in the front of the structure was three-tiered and spraying, accented with modern blown glass in the pool. The color scheme of the entire place happened to be red and gold, with pops of blue, green and purple.

It was like being transported back to India itself - or maybe lost in a fantasy of the _Arabian Nights,_ notably Aladdin.

All in all, Kim was blown away by the sheer beauty that they were standing in. She had always thought to try new dishes, Ron being a chef and coming up with whatever his menu had to offer, but sometimes his attempts at trying something that was very unique with the ingredients were hard to come by in the US.

"You're spoiling me too much," Kim told him when they parked the car and she locked everything into place. Rufus was with Sara at the lodge with Bates and the monkey ninjas; the monkeys and their new little baby whom they named Katara thanks to her should keep her busy tonight - as long as it was remembered to have her in bed by eight and no later.

Monty had laughed when she voiced her concern. "Have faith in Bates, Kimberly," he'd said lightly. "He raised me when I was a boy; I doubt he will forget how to handle a five-year-old."

Now they ventured into the lobby of the restaurant, and they were greeted with an exquisite sight from smooth ivory pillars attached to a vaulted carved ceiling depicting scenery of mythology and creation, lotuses accenting as they were divine to the mortals and their deities. The lights were warm gold and amber to give more cheeriness, so the red, blue, green and purple were additional accents in order to maintain that lavish sensation rather than overwhelming. The walls themselves were embossed with bronze and golden elephants bejeweled decadently and tastefully. She and Monty were greeted by a miraculous sight of the ceremonial _aarti_ \- the Hindu ritual of singing praises to the gods and raising the oil lamps, which were supposed to carry the god or goddess's power, to the heavens, before passing them down to their fellow devotees. It appeared slightly disturbing to see their hands waving over the flames before bringing their fingers to their eyes, repeating two more times.

 _Om Jai Jagdish Hare_ \- the popular song for these ceremonies - was being performed when they arrived to meet their hostess, a woman who appeared to be around Kim's age and was garbed in a _lengha_ of red silk ornate with rhinestones and gold, accented with teal. She spoke to the pair in her native Hindu before gesturing them to follow her. They were approached then by another member of the staff - a middle-aged man who would be giving them the first treatment that was another important part of their culture: the _kumkuma._

The marking was applied between the eyebrows, as this part of the body was considered the most sacred, channeling your spiritual being to God. What she and Monty got were the Vaisnavas marking, in which the pure white vertical lines symbolized Vishnu himself while the intersected red line was for his wife, Lakshmi. This was a really fun tradition that it even made Monty smile with her - and now they were being led into the actual restaurant.

The music to greet them was an exciting, tantalizing beat of drums unseen in the background, but there was a bellydancer present. Her curvaceous body was flaunted by a royal purple bustier trimmed with gold and coins, the fiery skirt and veil also adorned with crystals. Her dance was nubile, swaying her hips and flicking her wrists while swirling to the enchanting rhythm as she greeted Kim and Monty, guiding them over to their table which was covered with a golden damask tablecloth, centered with a dramatic ensemble of green orchids, striped pink ones, royal purple ones, and opulent white ones - all set atop river rocks and moss in a polished mahogany square vase.

"Please enjoy selecting our finest delectables," the hostess told them both with a warm smile, their menus sitting before them and waiting. "For any refreshments, the finest wine..."

It was selected to be a delicious mango _lassi_ which was one of the best Indian beverages, and Kim thought she was in heaven - and she melted even further when she saw the reaction on Monty's face; he closed his eyes and moaned softly, his throat bobbing again, and it was hard to not call it sexy and irresistible.

"We will both settle on the lamb kebabs for appetizers," he told the hostess, "as well as the irresistible green coriander chutney." He finished with a little wink in her direction. Green as her eyes, his own told her, which brought forth the heat in her cheeks. "What about for the main course, my dear?"

His voice had dropped to a seductive purr; the atmosphere, music and the dancer in the background added to his very presence in front of her. She could not tell anymore if it was purposeful or just natural. She tore her gaze from his and looked down, having already picked hers. "I would like to have the...chicken _tikka._ " Boneless and covered in spices as well as a form of yogurt - oh, spice. That word could be interpreted in another form besides hot and burning in your mouth...

"Mmm, make my part the lamb vindaloo with the freshest, most delectable rice you have."

Ugh, he was setting her on fire now. He was doing it on purpose! He brought her out here for an "acquainted" dinner only to be suggestively flirting with her in front of their hostess, who only smiled and took their menus before leaving them alone with their dancer and the newest song playing - slower, still enticing, and telling a definite story of passion, maybe.

Monty's eyes darkened into liquid blue. "I am terribly sorry for bringing the blazes to life again, Kimberly," he drawled.

"At a time like this," she hissed back, drawing a rumble from his throat.

"I thought I could have some fun, challenge you to resist me in a place like this."

Her hands curled into fists. "Monty Fiske, you really picked a hell of a time for this," she said, the twitching of her nerves getting stronger. "Was that why you decided to bring me out here, to try and tempt me again?"

"Perhaps, perhaps not, but either way, I'm ensuring it won't lead up to that - unless one of us will snap in the event of time," he said, narrowing his eyes while his sinister smile deepened. "And there is one thing I have longed to give you since before tonight."

His gloved hand was out in a closed fist before it opened and showed - "Oh, you still have it after all these years?" she gasped, amazed. It was the necklace he'd gone across the world for her, when he asked her to be his Monkey Queen...

"Yes, I could never throw it away after all the trouble I went through," he told her, his deep expression softening. "I flew across the ocean for the mountain region I acquired it, with only you on my mind, only it was unfortunate it did not end as planned."

Suddenly, it was as if the walls were closing in on her. "Monty," Kim said, taking a few breaths as she felt her lungs constrict, "I don't think I can. As much as I appreciate it as I did then, I -" She never got the chance to finish as she found him moving to slide it over to her side.

His voice was tender and yet had an edge to it. "I tried giving it to you for a reason, Kim. It is yours, and I prefer you keep this as a token of my...affection for you."

A-a-aff- _affection_?! Her mind was on the spinning wheels again as the pressure in her body's cells increased. He was standing beside her now, kneeling, but she lowered her eyes to the golden tablecloth which seemed to intensify the heat tenfold. The drums in her ears seemed to pick up - and then she felt HIS gloved fingers caress her neck as he pushed aside her short hair even though it wasn't long enough to cover her column. The cool, thin metal soothed her nerves only to stoke their electrical channels more...and the tanzanite charm was over her heart as it had been briefly that one time.

His hand then came to cup her cheek, his thumb massaging her skin and worshipping at the same time. His voice was the oil and the match to the embers of her body. " _Kimberly_..."

She looked back up at him only to feel firm, searing lips against hers...and the familiar fire that he instilled in her when she was a young woman of sixteen returned with a tsunami of intense fervor.

 **There is a real Chinese restaurant named Golden Tiger, and I thought Golden Elephant Palace itself was fitting for an Indian restaurant here in Middleton. At first I thought of Ruby Elephant Palace, but Golden Elephant sounded more exotic. :) I also looked at this real Indian restaurant called the Taj Coromandel in Chennai, which is one of the best at serving southern Indian specialties; its interior design and the use of the traditions of** _ **aarti**_ **and** _ **kumkuma**_ **mentioned, as well as the song which IS common amongst the _aarti_ service, was far from being less interesting. :D It has three private dining areas, and I thought it best to give the eventual couple a room of their own. Plus, the foods they dine on are real fine recipes that exist anywhere in Hindu culture. **

**The music was the most exciting along with the bellydancing to bring in here. The first song played was an instrumental I found on YouTube called "harem belly dance - darbuka". Following it was "Sheherazade and 1001 Nights" (the great queen's name was misspelled by the user, but it's the same storyteller). Both songs really set the mood for Monty treating Kim like the queen he sees her as.**

 **Yup, he finally finds it in himself to kiss her, but there won't be anything of what they had in "The Deadly Embrace of Desire" just yet. Things are getting all the more heated. ;D**


	19. Mysterious Days and Nights

**Sarah Brightman's "Harem" is one of my favorite albums of hers, and one of the songs made its way in as you can see. :) Therefore becoming part of the title of this chapter.**

Chapter Eighteen

Mysterious Days and Nights

Oh, how the wait had been worth it...he was careful to not allow himself to be too carried away as this was the first one for her in a long time - and his first in the same amount of time to pass in between this world and the other. Nevertheless, the taste and feel of her was excruciatingly intoxicating that he wanted more but had to suppress his needs. She didn't push him aside, but she didn't return the lip contact as fervently as he. Withdrawing his lips from hers, Monty savored the feel of her sweet, warm breath on his skin as he awaited her response.

Her fair skin was flustered as her swollen lips, her cheeks furiously matching the glaze in her eyes, and she was gasping as though she was a fish out of water. He allowed his gaze to travel down to where her heart was surely beating faster than its normal rate, thus allowing it to be harder to push back what he performed on her when she did not expect it. She must have thought he would simply fasten the necklace around her - and it was as perfect as he remembered - but did not anticipate the searing kiss he gave her.

"Shouldn't have..." She reached up to touch her lips, which told him another story entirely.

"Shouldn't have done it," he finished for her. "I'm sorry, but I couldn't help myself."

He found himself looking down again, away from her heated gaze, and down to where the necklace glittered above her now glistening curves. That was his doing, and it made his own skin begin to spill. The sane half of his mind warned him it was a bad time because of the bellydancer still present, and the tempo picking up in the same song playing - of Scheherazade and her thousand nights of storytelling to her cruel monarch husband who threatened her very life. He was not told of this, but he was very much familiar with the luxurious combination of Middle Eastern and Asian tales of old. It was befitting of what was transpiring right now.

It was then and there that the opaque door opened, and he quickly stood up and retreated back to his seat, the exquisite scent of lamb and the special Asian green sauce filling the room. Oh, he was hungry, but not for food - but he had to restrain himself.

As soon as the hostess herself was gone, Kim turned her languid attention to him, combined with wariness. "Monty, now isn't a good time," she told him, and he could have sworn he heard a ragged edge and knew that was also his doing. Inwardly, he smiled, but he remained composed on the outside.

"I shall respect that wish, Kimberly. I apologize for my rash behavior."

For the rest of the meal that arrived afterwards, they did not bring up the kiss, but he could see the signs as he savored his lamb. The chicken - oh, she had to tantalize him with the word spice that was present in the universal dish fashioned Hindu style. Spice meant to make things hotter, to raise the temperature...and he was not thinking about food at this point even though they were both filling each other's stomachs - which should have been to give them more energy for what would have happened had she not stopped them both.

As for the signs he witnessed in her, across the table, she avoided looking into his eyes; she must still be thinking about the kiss. Monty allowed his tongue to snake out of his mouth and trace his lips, finding they were still tingling from the pressure he applied to hers - and she was not doing a good job hiding it from him. He was tempted to ask her for his own amusement if she enjoyed it as much as he.

He had not expected, however, to be interrupted halfway through the meal by the new tune that filled the air.

 _Springtime in Tangier_

 _The sky's getting wider_

 _Renewing it's splendour_

 _The word's getting brighter_

His body reacted, wanting to suddenly drop his utensils and take her onto the floor in a dance, join the dancer assigned to them and to whoever was singing in the background given it certainly was not her. He stood then, walking around and bowing before offering his hand to the bewildered woman sitting in front of him. When she did finally offer her hand to him in return, he pulled her to her feet and guided her onto the lush Persian-covered ground.

"Monty, are you sure about this?" Kim uttered, trying not to laugh as they assumed the traditional waltz position. He snickered.

"I've never been more certain in my life, my lady."

 _Setting out just like the sun_

 _That's never seen the rain_

 _Stepping out we're homeward bound_

 _And never be the same_

She was laughing when he began to lead the way, tempted to dip her down and kiss her again at one point before deciding against it. This dance was just to bring them both together, bodies flowing as one and in their own personal space if accompanied by an addition who would dare not repeat what she saw if she wanted to keep her job and reputation intact.

 _Ah - we lay our hearts wide open_

 _Ah - we live mysterious days_

 _Ah - the spell cannot be broken_

 _Ah - we live mysterious days_

Kim moved closer to him at one point, her arm around his shoulder coming higher to grasp him at the back of the neck, the tips massaging the place where his spinal cord began beneath his skull and drawing a slight vibration of pleasure through him. He closed his eyes and rumbled in his throat; now she was teasing him back. Monty nearly lost control of the dance because of her giving this part of him attention as part of retaliation now that he knew this was what it was.

Opening his eyes again, he saw her looking deeply at him and filled with such fire that he drew her closer to him.

 _American writers_

 _Now work in the attic_

 _Up in the Casbah_

 _There's plenty to worship_

"See what you made me feel, my lord?" she countered, her breath as harsh as her tone. He shuddered if not audibly, nodding his response.

 _Shine again Arabian Moon_

 _And be the guiding light_

 _Life is changing like the dunes_

 _Wandering in the night_

If he had anything to say to that last bit, he had to say it was a coincidence because of how his life was slowly altering because of this woman in his arms, and whose young daughter awakened the parental instinct in him he never thought possible.

~o~

If she was a female animal, she would have classified herself as being "in heat", because her skin was still burning due to his ruthless charm which had not changed a bit. That part of him would never change, that much was clear.

But anyway, she _did_ have a great night. It was nearing eleven when they finally left, but they left the Golden Elephant around eight-thirty, and he'd taken her to a more isolated place in Middleton - and it was the park. There were few people at this hour of the night, but at least no children. She had decided to take her heels off before they got out of the car; her maternal instincts had begged her to hurry back to the lodge with him, fetch her daughter and go home, but Monty had promised her Sara was still in good hands and would be taken care of. It was then that Kim decided to stop worrying and to stop having slight concern for Bates.

Monty took her to the park, where he'd removed his shoes AND his gloves, making her gasp. "What if someone sees you?" she'd gasped when she watched him climb a tree and then swing from branch to branch till he was several feet above her, baring his canines in a confident grin.

"I find it a risk worth taking, my dear," he'd replied. "Where is the fun if these marvelous appendages -" He had sat down then, extending his feet and wiggling his toes to make her laugh, and holding his hands up at the same time. "- were confined for that much longer? It has been so long since I have been wild and free in this manner."

Then he'd hopped down from that branch until he was closer to her distance, extending a hand. "Come and sit with me," he'd offered, still smiling. "Perch beside me and look at the sights with me."

Kim had hesitated for a moment before taking that hand and allowing herself to be pulled up, perching beside him as he'd put it. She'd scooted closer beside him, feeling like a young girl again with the guy she was on a date with, and it had been so long since she felt like this. She and Ron used to do these things, but not in a tree of all places. Above, the quarter moon was peeking out from the clouds and giving a soft glow on them. Monty had inhaled through his nose and sighed as if in his own blissful little world.

"When I was a young boy, I climbed the trees and pretended I was one with the wild - especially the monkeys," he'd said, fondly smiling before it faded. "Until my father...set me straight, that is. He said an English gentleman should never allow himself to engage in such rambunctious activities. I was thirteen, perhaps fourteen when this took place."

Kim had breathed through her own nose as she tried to picture him as a carefree, happy young boy that Bates had said he used to be, only to become the madman she'd met as a teenager with Ron. It seemed that boy was still there, inside of him and hidden deep down, but was now coming to light beside her. "And when I acquired the Mystical Monkey Power," Monty had continued, "I felt more free than I ever was. I had nothing to pretend anymore, no absent father to please with futile attempts, no stiff colleagues who didn't understand true wonders - and finally a destiny for myself that I could make and no one else."

There he went talking about power again, but it wasn't with the same insane glow in his eyes or on his face. It was just plain manner of speaking of the past. Then Monty had turned his attention from the ground to her, face unreadable. "Of course, I was called a monster for my deeds," he'd said softly, ice forming around the edges of his words. "I don't recall you saying that word to my face, but I remember it every time we met, and seeing it in your eyes." He'd leaned over by an inch, showing her that his own were glittering to match his tone. He wasn't challenging her, or even accusing her, but to show her how he felt as he dwelled on his past.

She'd nearly bit her bottom lip again before she decided not to, and answered him honestly, keeping his eyes locked with hers because it was the right thing to do. "Monty," she had said, her voice catching the slowly picking up wind, her bare arms shivering a little and the goosebumps rising, "I always knew you were a human being inside - and that night in your castle was not the only reason I believed it."

Was it her imagination, or was he going to let another tear fall again? His eyes were no longer glittering, but glazing like ice melting because she touched him so easily and immensely. His jaw had clenched visibly, and his eyes closed when Kim brought her hand up, caressing that side of his face and coming up to gently smooth the sideburn there, eliciting a sweet sigh from him that this was a slightly sensitive part of him.

"I don't know how long I have...waited to hear you say that."

Everything about him in that moment was as sweet and innocent as those _galum jamun_ pieces they had for dessert back at the restaurant - sweet and innocent as the child he once was, because his heart was melting around the edges. He was telling her that all he wanted was someone to be there for him, understand him, share everything he loved with - and who would never leave him for whatever reason. She'd done that once and would not do it again. It brought to mind the necklace she still wore around her neck; she'd taken his hand, admiring the callous feel and placed it over her beating breastbone where the charm rested. Cool metal and carved gems contrasted with smooth, warm flesh caused him to open his eyes again and look down.

The word never applied then, and it didn't now, but she still needed to know just for full confirmation. "You must have hated me for leaving it behind."

"No, I understand why you did." He'd shook his head and closed his fingers over the pendant, though not intending to break it.

"But now I am keeping it."

Now they were in her car, parking in front of the lodge, and she felt like she was out of breath. She was about to shut down the engine when her attention unconsciously shifted past him in the front passenger seat to where the mountain view lay - and suddenly, her heart was on ice and on the verge of shattering again when a certain happy but painful memory returned.

"Kimberly, whatever is it?" Monty asked, noticing her change in demeanor. Well, no point in hiding it.

"The mountains...that is where Ron and I..." Got married, her mind finished, and she hoped he got that.

He frowned, then turned in that direction and stared for a moment. "Oh, I see..." was all he could say. "I'm sorry it's difficult to be back here at anytime."

Kim lowered her eyes. A part of her felt bad for not telling him, but what could he have said really? Exhaling, she got out of the car, too tired now but also warm to her bones because of tonight. Now to get Sara tucked into bed as soon as they got home -

"Perhaps you, Sara and the naked mole rat should stay here for the night."

~o~

He just could not let her and her child go back home at this hour; it wasn't that he didn't want them to, but simply because of the late hour, and for all he knew, the little girl shouldn't be disturbed from her slumber. Bates needed his own room as did the monkey ninjas, so a spare cot must have been brought in for her and the rodent Rufus while he and her mother were gone.

Monty savored this night and would cherish it always. He wanted to do this again, but too much in a week or two would burn out so quickly, and a wise man once said the best way to go was to take one day at a time, and he would honor that.

Kim had hesitated in answering before she decided there was no point in refusing. "Yeah, I guess you're right. It's late, and I might get us both in an accident if I fall asleep behind the wheel."

"Excellent."

When he said he would never regret tonight, he meant he would never regret taking her to the restaurant, kissing her and setting them both aflame like they used to - nor would he regret taking her into that tree for their moment of peace. Afterwards, he'd been the first to jump down, holding his arms out to catch her when it was her turn. Then he'd carried her like she was his bride back to the car so they could retrieve Sara and Rufus.

Who were both currently, as he'd said, sleeping on the floor of the sitting room, before the television and the sofa where the monkey ninjas were passed out but otherwise protecting her. He shook his head and snickered at the sight.

"Oh, milord, Kimberly," Bates said in a hushed voice as he poked his head out from his room. "It has gone well?"

"It has. And Kim is staying for the night," Monty told him. "Good night to you."

"And to you, lord," the former valet answered, then turned his attention to Kim and bowed his head before closing the door, leaving them alone. Kim broke the silence as she kept her gaze on her sleeping daughter on the floor.

"Well, now that I know where Sara will be, what about me?"

He presented the answer as soon as the door was closed to keep the noise away from the little girl's sensitive ears. "Oh, naturally, with you," Kim stated, but she didn't appear angry or dismayed. She wasn't going to sleep on the floor on Monty's watch.

"Honestly, you didn't think I'd let you toss and turn on the ground all night, did you?" he asked as he marched over to his closet to search for something for her for the night, if nothing like she was used to. It was only for one night. "Ah, here, if you don't mind?" He'd found one of his light blue collared shirts, which was fitted to his body but loose on hers.

"Well, gee, thanks," she said, taking it and marching into the bathroom adjacent, her heels clacking on the floor before the door closed. Monty laid back on the bed and just listened as the shower turned on and made him twitch momentarily. He just hoped he would not have trouble sleeping tonight - and he hoped she wouldn't either - but it was not like any touching in certain places would occur.

Thankfully, he slept peacefully when she joined him, and the sight of her was very irresistible as ever. The shirt ended mid-thigh, buttoned down by four, and the sleeves were rolled to the elbows. He made sure to not stare too much, sliding off the bed to have his turn before coming back to join her for the night, keeping to his side as far as possible.

However, when he awoke the next morning, Monty felt himself tight between the thighs, laying on his stomach and with his head turned to the way facing HER. Kim lay on her side, her back facing him, and her soft breathing telling him she had a restful night herself - but that did not mean the same good case for himself as he was irritated that the ache between his legs had to come at a time like this. He hadn't even experienced this in years! Snarling to himself, he quickly but quietly slid out of the bed to take a cold as Hades shower to relieve this problem. Just last night he kissed her and sat beside her on a tree branch, and now THIS!

He just hoped that today would not involve more of this unexpected arousal just because she was closer to him more than ever.

 **First date gone well, and let's see what's in store with the advancing relationship as well as Monty having some more time with Sara - and maybe teaching her some new karate moves. :D**


	20. The Birth of the Monkey Man

Chapter Nineteen

The Birth of the Monkey Man

Opening her eyes, sunlight streamed in without blinding her. Seldom was any peace given to her, and that was what she felt. Crisp cotton rubbed against her body, telling her she was wearing something other than her favorite short set, and she was not in her own bed. Her senses were coming back to life as her body roused from its calming slumber.

There was the sound of water running, behind a closed door...

She rolled over on the other side away from the window and found herself seeing the bathroom door actually cracked open, the light on despite being daylight, but there were no windows in that room. Then the water stopped running, telling her the person was finished with their shower and was coming out soon. She kept her eyes cracked open enough to still see but tight enough to pretend to sleep.

Just like she guessed, Monty exited - and he was wearing a _towel._ His midnight hair clung to his skull and neck, and his skin was drying, yet still glistening; his musculature shone bright enough to nearly force her eyes open wider. He looked in her direction briefly but said nothing, probably assuming she was still asleep - and he had no idea she wasn't. Kim had to stifle a snicker, continuing to watch the show as he turned to the side and opened the closet door, looking for some clothes, but in the midst of reaching up, his muscles not only flexed, but the front of the towel slightly came undone and slid down south, exposing pelvic bones and a third of the raven pubic hair. Muttering something to himself, he quickly moved to stop it from leaving any further and opened it - but hiding the rest of him from her eyes - before pulling it back around and tying again.

The sight was too much for her, but thankfully no stir in her body at this time unlike when she saw him in the waterfall.

If she continued to watch, she might end up having a little too much fun like last time, so she slowly turned back over on her other side and opened her eyes all the way then, due to the fact her lids were aching. Then his voice startled her.

"You can awake now, Kimberly. I know the signs of sleep and pretending to."

She turned around and was relieved to find him with pants on but still flaunting his glistening torso. His face twisted into a sly smile. "Your fault you had to be naked in front of me," Kim told him.

"Your fault for bothering to look," he returned smoothly, turning away from her to grab a shirt.

Kim slid out of the bed then, noticing the light blue shirt that hung off her body. It wasn't her favorite sleepwear, but it felt a good kind of different, like it was making her a new woman in a small way. Only it wasn't hers. She slid out carefully even though he couldn't see up; she'd chosen to sleep with no underwear to air out the base of her thighs. If he'd known of this, he would have responded in a familiar way for his side of the species.

It was then that she remembered - "Oh, damn it!" Monty frowned at her. "I never packed an overnight bag for Sara or myself," she clarified, shoulders slumping.

He laughed while in the middle of buttoning his shirt. "Oh, no fear. I will talk to Bates and he will bring you and Sara some new garments for the day."

Oh, she just about exclaimed in surprise. He couldn't - she couldn't ask him to do such things for her and her daughter. "Monty, you don't have to do that," she insisted, but he held his hand up.

"Decision made, my dear. I'll do this for you both without even a price to name. All of it is on me."

She bowed her head in defeat. How could he just do so much for them in such a short amount of time when neither of them asked for it? She wanted to tell him it was too much, but she really needed something for Sara and herself, so she had to let him do this for them. Then she stood and walked past him to clean up, using what was already provided for them, and redressed in his shirt and her undergarments from last night - for now - and exited only to find Monty coming back in with Sara beside him.

"Mommy, we made breakfast in bed!"

On the tray was a huge stack of pancakes - and she smelled banana, ironically - as well as scrambled eggs and bacon that had nearly been burnt, finished with a juice combined with mango and orange juice. "Oh, that looks excellent!" Kim looked at Monty in surprise. "I never thought you could cook!"

"Sometimes," he answered with a smirk. "It's Bates who does the majority, and he was already at work before I sent him out."

She crawled back onto the bed and laid back. He joined her, handing her the tray before sitting next to her, and Sara hopped on last before them. Rufus screeched with joy as he came after her. This had turned into a somewhat family breakfast in bed, and it made her wonder something.

"You ever really wanted to have a...family, Monty?" she asked him carefully, looking at him and seeing no change in his expression, but his tone was thoughtful.

"I never had the time, as you know - and it was not only because what you knew me for, but because I never found the right woman...or even thought I would connect with a child the way I have now," Monty stated as he reached over to ruffle Sara's unruly blonde locks. She drew back, giggling and swatting his gloved hands away - and accidentally peeled one down by accident, exposing his monkey hand...

...and then everything changed from happy and content to stunned surprise.

"Monty..." Sara whispered, eyes wide. "...why do you have...hairy hands?"

~o~

"Uh oh!" Rufus, the naked mole rat, looked back and forth between them in utter worry and chewed his paws in his anxiety, but Monty paid him no mind.

The dread washed over him with the swift hand of a raging monsoon coming over the land. It had been accidental, but he also blamed himself for his foolishness and irresponsibility. Her mother was unable to speak because she knew as well as he that they owed her an explanation to this.

On second thought, right now, she was too young to understand, so perhaps a half-truth would suffice for now. "My dear, you must not repeat this to anyone," he told her softly and firmly, locking eyes with her. She chewed her lip the same way her mother would and nodded without a word. He took a breath and then answered without a moment's hesitation.

"A modified condition," he told her.

Her eyes got wider, her jaw a little slack. "Mod-if-what?" she asked, innocent to these ways that it irritated him a little, but it wasn't her fault. He sighed and repeated the phrase.

"So many years ago, I suffered an accident that resulted in one of my feet broken beyond repair," he explained, recalling the events in which he was acquiring the jade monkey statues. "And it nearly crippled me for the rest of my life which I could not afford to live with, so I contacted someone to help me with this dire issue..."

~o~

 _He had cursed when the accident happened; the trap was sprung and tripped him, then his left foot was caught and crushed to immortal levels of pain than Lord Fiske could ever recall. He screamed to the high heavens, pleading for the agony to stop...until help returned for him and pulled him out..._

 _...only for his foot to be severed by force, his body tugged while there was no instrument to surgically saw through the flesh, bone and muscles, and the appendage itself remained stuck between the rocks. Blood gushed uncontrollably in a copious rhythm that had to be soaked with one of the torn fabrics belonging to the shirt of one of his fellow diggers. His howls could not be stifled as his body spasmed with the torture he feared would never end._

 _"By God!" he wailed, barely aware he was being carried out, whoever it was at the end being careful to not touch his injured, severed stump. "MAKE IT STOP!"_

 _The voices above him were a blur to his sense:_ "Hang on, Monty...you'll be fine...get him to a medic...!"

 _He knew nothing else when his vision whitened before it turned to darkness that spared him from the agony for a short amount of time. When he awoke, he was lying on a hospital bed, hooked to what was best of a IV to be made in this country, and he was strapped down as to ensure he would not thrash with a panic attack._

 _"Oh, milord!"_

 _"Bates," he said, exhaling when his valet came to his side. "I take it the scrolls were retrieved safely?"_

 _The man nodded. "Yes, but it was also your well-being we were most concerned for," he said, gesturing to Fiske's form in hospital wear and strapped down like some common, untamed animal. "You are going to be physically well again in a matter of weeks - two at most, according to the doctor -" His face fell. "- but your foot, unfortunately..."_

 _Monty started only to feel and remember he was tied down. "Let me see it!" he insisted. They already had two of the statues; what and HOW were they supposed to get the third now that -_

 _When Bates did the honors of pulling the blanket down his body and off the end, the lord beheld the macabre sight of seeing one bare foot intact while there was a bandaged stump where his other should be. Closing his eyes, he held back the screams of rage and self-loathing._

 _Why didn't he see the last trap coming?! He'd endured this all his life, all his career, and now this was what he got for his blindness! He despised his fragile human body, his lacking speed despite the martial arts training he received since teenage years - just EVERYTHING!_

 _Seeing his grief, Bates sighed and pulled the blanket back over his master. "I am sorry, my lord."_

 _"There is nothing to apologize for." He'd been the one to go in for the scrolls and run just as the unexpected trap was triggered from above and come crashing down on him just as he was returning to the entrance. The scroll was said to contain the knowledge of an ancient race of otherworld beings who came down to Mongolia to give their wisdom to the people, that the museum found interesting and sent him and a handful of others out - the activities which wretchedly took up his time to begin the search with Bates for the third jade monkey statue in the next step of achieving the mythical art of_ Tai Shing Pek Kwar _._

 _His memory clicked then and there._

 _That was it! That was it; he remembered now, and why didn't he before?! During one previous dig in the depths of this country, an old painting had been uncovered, depicting these vast, ancient beings as long-headed aliens who possessed unique body parts that marked them stronger and faster than all humans - even bordering on_ simianism. _One mortal man in those days claimed to have seen one of his own being granted the ambitious desire to become one of them...and he had been given an unusual form of_ ninjutsu _that the witness had gone raving mad about. Rituals and spells performed to give the unfortunate mortal his new physical attributes and strength - they were all eventually written down on a scroll for anyone else who desired to be better than they were now._

 _Monty looked up at the ceiling and sighed again. His excitement began there; the possibility of getting a new body part was wondrous to dream about, based on this legend that had been overlooked for a long time. Yet, the rituals and spells written were no longer existent, as the scroll itself had long since been destroyed by the elders as they felt the magic was too dangerous for anyone else to acquire...but it was also rumored that one such devious individual escaped unscathed with a spare scroll and relocated to Japan. From then on, the tale of the Mystical Monkey Power came to fruition with years of training._

 _Since magic was not an option to give himself a new foot, science was proved to alter things beyond anything. It was at this point he remembered such information that he wished he could advance the rest of his body besides this one lost appendage - and that meant altering his other foot and both hands in addition. His skills in_ ninjutsu _had been off and not at the level the ancient texts described Monkey Kung Fu._

 _"By God," he muttered, "of course, why didn't I realize this before...of all the...if I had then maybe, just maybe..."_

 _Bates frowned at him as he questioned him. "Milord?"_

 _"All hope is not lost," Fiske answered, turning back to look at him with a smile. "As soon as I am cleared, we are going back to work, but not for the museum - and you know precisely what that means."_

~o~

Monty wasted no time in getting a replacement for his amputated foot, but it was not enough to be the real one he lost. Not long after, he was cleared to return to England, requesting a leave of absence - when it was really an excuse to go after the third jade statue found in Mongolia. It took weeks into a few months to heal and get adjusted to his handicap...but he would not let it stop him. No such trouble when he got the statue which had been guarded by sprays of fire from around. However, he'd nearly lost his replicated foot in the midst of the flight over the pit to the pedestal.

The retrieval was a success, nevertheless, but he knew he'd had to get to looking for any known geneticists as it was most logical rather than some legal surgeon who would call what he had in mind an abomination.

Amy Hall was not the first he came across, but she certainly was the ultimate choice. Her and her morbid Cuddle Buddy collection - it was repulsive, but what choice did he have? All he wanted was to have his hands and feet remade, with an acquired DNA sample of an ape, and it would remain that way.

What he had never anticipated was that the sweet but obnoxious woman would try to flirt with him, thinking she could turn their professional relationship into something else; she never seemed to take no for an answer. It was no wonder she was kicked out of her university for her out-of-control splicing experiments. Bates had been wary of her, but Lord Fiske had the final decision.

He awoke on her surgery table in her snow mountain laboratory, bleary and still numb from anesthesia - but when he held his new hands in front of his face and looked down to see the feet, it was a miracle! They actually felt as strong as they looked, and the factors changed was that the digits were more elongated, thicker perhaps, and the backs covered with more hair than he ever had before.

He'd been hoping that spending the majority of the family fortune on this supposedly dangerous surgery had been worth it - and it was.

"So, some crazy lady gave you these new hands because of an accident, and you wanted to be stronger?" Sara asked when he finished his tale, leaving the most gruesome parts out for her sake; he would be glad to share them with her mother at a better time. From the corner of his eye, Kim had been sitting rigidly the whole time, taking a piece of bacon and splitting with Rufus now. For the entire talk, they shared the marvelous breakfast made, and now it was getting cold, but none of them were affected by it.

Monty chuckled at the word "crazy" used for DNAmy; indeed, it befitted. "Yes," he told the child with a slight nod. "I wanted to be more, and it was everything I dreamed of - but I confess I have done things I am not proud of, and I am doing the best I can to change." He leaned over a short distance. "Sara, I know I have asked you this before, but this time is by far most important: you must _not_ tell anyone of this. There are those who do not take kindly to people like me."

"People who are...different," she clarified with a little nod, her lower lip trembling as her attention fell to his exposed hand. "Can I see your feet, too?"

He felt his eyes bulge before he burst out laughing, Kim joining him. "Oh, you asked," he said, stretching out a leg and pulling off the elastic sock which was better than a shoe, revealing his foot no different than his hand on that side. Sara gasped.

"Cool! Monkey hands and feet - that is so cute!"

He'd been fearing along with her mother that she would lose it and then perhaps tell someone else, but she liked him too much to do such things. Monty felt his cheeks heat at being called cute with his mutated hands and feet, but the praise fueled his pride.

~o~

"Did you and Monty have fun?" Sara asked from the back of the car, with Rufus asking for the details, too, but Kim laughed and waved at them both from behind the wheel.

"We did, baby, and he might ask me again." In truth, Monty might not anytime soon because soon they might get the call and fly straight for Japan again. This time, she might have no choice but to bring her daughter with her. Chances were she would meet with Yori again since her people were allies of Xian's devotees, but you never know. It was always best to plan ahead.

The chances were also that lives could be lost for good, so the other half of Kim feared her child's life, if this was wrong to decide to bring her along. But she and Ron had brought Hana that one time to fight Yono -

Then the GPS displayed she was getting another call from Wade, and she pushed the TALK button for his face to come. "What's the sitch?" she asked with a grin, which he returned.

 _"A word from Yamanouchi - and guess from whom."_

"Yori!" Oh, yes, she knew it! Her old friend was contacting her in another "time of great need". Two years ago, Yori regretted not coming to the funeral because of the sanctity of the secret ninja school she now led and oversaw the reconstruction following the recent death of Master Sensei, the loss touching Kim's heart immensely. "Let me guess: she wishes to join forces with me and the Xian crowd."

 _"That's right, but you and Lord Fiske might be taken aback, or maybe not,"_ Wade answered, face falling a little. _"Since the Yono's blood moon solstice is a week from now, she wishes to see you and Monty on Sunday, to begin preparing for the final showdown. Some training of their ranks as well as giving more to you and...Monkey Fist, as quoted by her and her fellow ninjas and students, is in order."_

 **In "The Monkey's Valet" by VampireNaomi, when Monty and Bates retrieved the third statue, he had to jump over the chasm which surrounded the statue's pedestal - only to slip after grabbing the ledge, injuring his right hand after landing on it. It wounded his pride thereafter and increased his determination to go after the fourth and final statue, but as a mere man, he could not do it with just one hand...so resulted in searching until he found DNAmy herself. I always knew something drastic had to have happened to Lord Fiske even before I read that story to make him decide to have monkey appendages in order to make himself stronger, but I also did not want to make this time around too similar, so it was a real challenge. I also always knew that the reason Monty called Kim besides being unable to risk harming his new hands and feet - again, before I read the story - was because he was still adapting.**

 **"Crippled" by PengyChan (another of the best Monkey Fist fans and authors) deals with poor Monkey Fist suffering amputation of BOTH LEGS following a booby trap escape with his monkey ninjas gone wrong, and because of little Chippy who had to eat on the job AGAIN. Thankfully, DNAmy - whether he wanted it or not - came to his rescue. :)**

 **The mentioned mythological "monkey aliens" was in thanks to the movie "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull", and the gory details of Monty losing a foot (I don't know if anyone did that to him before) was just disturbing, but logical enough. Anyway, now Sara knows his secret which she likes him more than ever. :)**

 **Oh, yeah, we are back to the big business about Yono, Xian, and the upcoming final war to determine it all. :D**


	21. Return to Yamanouchi

**Having your foot amputated without the proper tools following an accident on excavation will definitely cause some psychological trauma to your being, especially in Monty's case in the previous chapter. I've just had so much fun expanding the mythology in this story - both the Yono's as well as the origins of Monkey Kung Fu - and upcoming is yet another addition.**

Chapter Twenty

Return to Yamanouchi

He had been told that Sara had karate class on Saturday, so today he wished to see her as soon as her mother brought her home before noon. He felt it necessary to begin to teach her some skills that he possessed, even if it were far advanced than she'd been taught. She was Ron Stoppable's daughter, so she might learn what she could of Monkey Kung Fu - if no one got hurt in the process.

The backyard of the Stoppable house was vast enough, had a great tree to climb, and smooth landscape to make it easier for the child. The other necessary reason to prepare her was based on the call made by her mother to him: they were all due to return to the Yamanouchi School in Japan...where the time was coming upon them all. The little girl was becoming involved in this, and she had to be protected, as well. Kim expressed her fears to him then.

 _"I don't know if Yono will turn her to stone, or do something much worse, but I can't let anything happen to her, Monty. She's a great karate fighter for her age, but I doubt it will be enough for what's coming."_

He offered her his consolation smile even though she could not see him. "Leave that to me."

He brought Bates and the monkeys with him because they did not need to be stuck in the rooms all day, and little Sara would be disappointed if her little primate friends did not come and visit her. She would especially be sad to not see the baby. He got them all in a rented car instead of a taxi at last. He had grown to call Middleton as a second home to him, and when the danger was passed, he intended to spend more time with Kim and Sara.

When Kimberly answered the door, she was in the clothing Bates had gotten her two days before. The velour jacket and pants were green and matching her eyes, which widened briefly before reverting back to normal. "Nice to see you both." She seemed rather...happy despite the fact they would leave early tomorrow for Yamanouchi - and Monty confessed he was anticipating the return to the place he helped Yono nearly destroy. Yori, Kim and Ronald's old friend and ally who was now the head, might call him most unwelcome as she once did, or if not, then he did not know what to expect when they arrived.

"And you, too, Kimberly," he answered. "I understand you are on your way."

"To get Sara," she answered. "Would you come with me while Bates and the monkeys make themselves at home with Rufus?" Said rodent jumped onto her shoulder and agreed to take it from here while the mistress of the house herself went with the Monkey Master himself to retrieve the little princess herself.

Monty smiled to himself. Little princess - that was exactly what Sara was.

As soon as they were in the car, he noted how she was looking at him but avoided direct eye contact - instead looking down over certain parts, and he was no fool to think it wasn't his hands and feet, covered once more even though her daughter knew everything now. The faraway gaze in her eyes was crystal clear, and he knew why.

"The complete account of how I got these still troubles you," Monty said blatantly. She nodded.

"I could not stop imagining how your foot was caught - and it was more than painful, wasn't it?"

He laughed humorlessly. "Try getting caught in a trap, and with no proper surgical instruments around that your colleagues have to pull you free with their bare hands, and with no painkillers or even sedatives to numb the pain until you have arrived at the nearest hospital in the area."

She cringed visibly, imagining the gore that came from the severed stump, and how true it was. Monty had not been aware of it well other than the agony he had been in, passing out only to awake to Bates and seeing the missing appendage. "To think I nearly lost it all that day," he mused, half to her and half to himself. "Still so much I wanted to do, and I would have died from it if not from the wound." He hummed to himself absently.

"And that was when you decided to get your...hands and feet," she stated.

"Precisely. It was on that day I remembered even the ancient texts which I was first exposed to regarding Monkey Kung Fu," he answered, smiling to one corner. "Would you like to know an interesting fact?"

"And be like Pandora in which once I open the box, there is no closing?"

He laughed. "More or less. As I lay in the hospital bed, I recalled the tales of old involving a very old, very ancient race of sentients you might call 'extraterrestrial' - and they arrived in Mongolia to give their knowledge to the people and their village they chose," he explained. "Their abilities and their physical appearances were nothing like the typical alien stereotype the Americans would label in their classic media and literature, or even in Great Britain. But that is not important as the fact these beings were elongated in every inch of themselves - and even carried _simian_ aspects," he finished with a broad grin that only made her jaw drop as she kept her eyes on the road ahead.

She stuttered for a bit before regaining control of her voice. "These... _aliens_ were combined with _monkeys?_ " she managed. "And they came to earth - to _Mongolia_ \- to teach these villagers what exactly?"

"Oh, you know as well as I that we supposedly come from apes and monkeys in the evolutionary times, and these beings knew that better than the humans would know. Of course, in their acts of 'kindness', they proposed to give the people their powers - beginning with one such hungry individual in secrecy that had gotten out when another man witnessed the changes in him. Not only did he get certain renewed body parts, but he also had the flexibility, speed and strength that no mortal ever possessed. The sight was, shall we say, shocking to his eyes that he went mad, was locked up for it. However, the inflicted man managed to get through the village elders and convince them all as well as the citizens to embrace these newfound abilities from their visitors. The rituals were written down on paper and stored away safely, given such magic could not be granted for everyone and result in complete chaos. There had to be those worthy enough to earn the power of the beings who left not long after to visit another village, perhaps a country - it does not matter." Monty paused there and clasped his hands together, looping his fingers through each other.

"Until one day it spiraled out of control. One great warrior in the ranks of the imperial army seized the power for himself when he broke into the village's sacred temple, following the assassination of the current emperor, in hopes of gaining control over the kingdom, but he was killed before he could get that chance. The decision was deemed to destroy the magic forever - the magic that was still unnamed to that very day, after two decades of holy life so to speak - only one scroll got away intact in the hands of one who saw this to do good, and escaped the country to flee across the sea, where no one would ever find him or the secrets."

Kim's jaw dropped again with recognition. "Y-you mean...this was brought to Japan where the _Yamanouchi school_ was founded, right?"

"Precisely." Monty grinned. "As you know, Toshimiru was the one to build that school using the very sword known as the Lotus Blade - and the very sword unleashing _Tai Shing Pek Kwar._ Can you see where I am going with this, Kimberly?" he asked coyly, watching as she gritted her jaw and thought long and hard.

"He was the original master of Monkey Kung Fu, and he was the one to flee his village with the scroll containing what was left of the secrets," she answered. "But he wasn't greedy, yet he saw good to be done with the power and thought to preserve it."

"Yes, but he also knew he had to change his name if he wanted to establish new grounds and save his own life should word escape to his own country in the future to come. He was born Weisheng, because he was destined for greatness, and now in a new land, he became known as _Toshimiru._ While he oversaw building the great school we would know as Yamanouchi - and it was named so for it rested at the top of the mountain of its name - he worked long and hard to train himself before he could carry on his wisdom to future generations. He made a handful of fellow friends and warriors in the mountain, and they were all too willing to agree and follow his way of the warrior. He had a pure heart, led such greatness, and lived on to the end of constructing the Yamanouchi ninja school; he was damned well determined to see it to the end.

"By the end of 338 AD as written in the history of Yamanouchi, Toshimiru finished and was weary to his bones when his work of the Lotus Blade was done, all aided with the power in his veins. Using it wisely, he was convinced there would be no wrong deeds done if he were to preserve the power in something other than the very sword he carried - and the answer laid in stone, combined with prized jade because it was known to bring healing and prosperity to the soul - and love in other cases. The heart would be struck as it was most vital to the rest of the body."

"Jade is also used for protection," Kim said. He hummed his agreement.

"Yes, and for that, the magic in Toshimiru was preserved in these stones - and all four carved into monkeys," Monty stated with a feeling of rushing wind that left him feeling like he was in paradise; might as well be reflected on his face. "Because of the beings that gave their knowledge to mortals who were not wise enough to use it, and he would be the first to prove wrong. For every yin, there would always be a yang, for another two decades after he built the very school that still stands at the top of Yamanouchi mountain, Toshimiru succumbed to death. He was succeeded by a right hand who proved to not be as pure of heart as the great master of the Mystical Monkey Power, Onishi - that was his name - attempted to seize all of the power for himself and then destroy anyone who tried to stop him."

~o~

The sheer expansion of the legend of the Mystical Monkey Power was beyond all expectations; it seemed she would never get tired of learning of all new surprises. He really did a damned fine job relating the depth of the myth that drove him down the madness path - and she could see what made him decide to make himself part man and part monkey, and every intricate, explicit detail woven wrapped around her, engulfing her inside and out.

Toshimiru was the one to preserve the secret of _Tai Shing Pek Kwar,_ but it was true that the last scroll from above was destroyed indefinitely...but the magic lived on in the four jade stones that became known as the Jade Monkey Idols. There would be no one else in the world who would ever believe this if they wanted to be locked in an insane asylum - like Monty, who risked everything he had to get this power that cracked the recesses of his sanity.

And let's not forget they were destroyed now, so that power was lost forever. Only he and Ron had gotten it - oh, and Rufus. Genetic was out of the question for the safety of the rest of the world.

When he mentioned Onishi, Toshimiru's supposed loyal friend and second-in-command, and elaborated that following his superior's death from natural causes, he thought he could betray everything the Ultimate Master stood for all for his own gain. Tyrant, was he? That was what Monty Fiske - Monkey Fist - would have become because he was arrogant and reckless, lost his mind. Those statues were made of jade, which was supposed to protect and heal, but also to strengthen mentality and give a clear perspective...but it did the opposite to this man sitting beside her.

"What happened to Onishi?" Kim asked, following the red light turning, and they went straight ahead.

Monty's chuckle was deep in his throat. "Succumbed to his own madness once he gained the power in alignment with the four statues - four parts of the world as symbolism, isn't it?" he asked with a twisted smile which soon dissolved. "But he spiraled out of control and wound up killing the family of one of the disciples, therefore signing his own dishonored certificate and committed _seppuku_ before his former comrades. He dishonored not only himself, but all that Toshimiru worked long and hard to construct. From then on, just like before, the power had to be hidden away, but the statues could not be destroyed like the scrolls - instead they were separated as history wrote, in four different countries far apart from each other."

It did make sense to separate the monkeys because the warriors didn't want another to abuse the power that Onishi had done - and the other across the sea before him in Toshimiru's birth country - "It makes sense," she voiced, "but why simply separate instead of destroying them altogether?"

"Hmm..." he mused, rubbing his chin, "...perhaps it was because it was hoped that one day another, nobler one would not repeat the mistake Onishi had done, that the one would pick up the torch for Toshimiru himself...and a mistake I myself did repeat." A faraway look came in his eyes then. He did not sound forlorn or distant, or anything regarding emotion other than one.

Regret.

Kim recalled asking him what he would truly have done with the power once he had acquired it all. He was relentless, dangerous, and just thought to use others to gain - herself included once - but now with finally revealing the depths of the soul of the legend, it was a lethal parallel to the downfall of Toshimiru's so-called ally. Monty had suffered the same fate once, but he was fighting to right his wrongs when Onishi never did other than one way: taking his own life.

"Monty," she said, seeing they were near the karate school, "since you have the power, you think maybe you can avoid Onishi's doom and use it for good?"

~o~

First she told him that he wasn't meant for Mystical Monkey Power, and now she asked him if he could use it for common good. He did not know what caused her to have a change of mind about this, but all he knew was that he did not know what to think.

He wanted to say that he still believed he was destined for the power because it had been before his eyes all his life, and several times was prevented, but now he began to think perhaps if not all the control he could ask for...maybe Kim was right, in that he could use the power somehow. He couldn't think of it right now, but he would in time.

Monty did not want to end up in Yono's grasp again, and he certainly did not want to end up like Onishi in the legend.

"I'd have to think about that," he told Kim, turning his attention from her and looking out the window in time to see Sara's karate school coming into view, seeing the little one herself come out the front door in time to see her mother's car coming her way.

"Hi, Mommy!" she said as she opened the back door herself and slid in, then squeaked when she saw him. "Oh, Monty!"

"Pleasure to see you, too," he told her with a wink, then started when she moved up and pecked him on the cheek. Warmth washed over him with a small tingle of flame. "How was your day?"

"I got some new moves to show you!" she answered excitedly. She was still wearing her little white ninja student garb that he'd worn himself so long ago when he was a student at Yamanouchi for a short amount of time...

"So, do show me what you have learned today," he said as soon as they were all back at the house, Bates and the monkeys as well as Rufus coming in time to see what she demonstrated for them all to see. She let loose the traditional cry while assuming the stance - resembling his own, which sparked an idea that he didn't get the chance to ponder further - and then throwing out a kick before spinning around and tossing a few punches which any child could do, but they were all done with such fluidity that impressed him very much -

\- and then an immense pain erupted when he doubled over as the impact of Sara's foot came in contact with his groin.

Monty groaned as he held his injured man's spot and looked up at Sara, shocked as to why she would do such a thing, and who taught her that. Behind him, Bates gasped while the monkeys screeched, and Rufus himself leaped off of the mother who exclaimed in outrage.

"Sara Jessica Stoppable!" she scolded. "That is not nice! Who taught you that?!"

The girl bowed her head in shame. "I'm sorry."

"For?" Kim pressed, arms folded across her chest. She apparently was not one to bend her child across her lap like most mothers and fathers would.

"I'm sorry, Monty," she said, looking up at him, lower lip stuck out, "but I saw some classmates do the same. Even my teacher said it was good to strike a bad guy there if you get the chance."

He grunted and sat down at the island of the kitchen, Kim herself still scowling and going to the freezer. "Yes, that is a good idea, though a bit of fair warning to me would have been nice." His lower body was still throbbing while he waited for what turned out to be an ice pack. At least her kick wasn't as strong as he imagined it would have been; her mother would have done much worse. He shuddered inwardly to think if Kim had tried to do that during their encounters, imagining he would have been quickly knocked out faster.

He sighed when the frosted bag filled with solid crystals was placed upon his still-aching groin, slowly subsiding. Bates was looking down at him with an expression of pity - and was he trying not to laugh? Monty glared at him. "I don't see what is funny about this, Bates."

"I do not see this as amusing, milord," his former valet replied, drawing himself up. However, behind him, the monkey ninjas were snickering amongst each other and did not hide it very well. He snarled at them, and they quickly got together in their rank, bowing in apology. Behind, he could hear Kim kneeling in front of her daughter and speaking softly but firmly, telling her that she would never do that again unless it was an enemy when she was older.

Now the throb between his legs ended, and he was feeling better. It was then that Sara approached him and this time with her head bowed, hands in front of her as though she was his disciple. Her words surprised him.

"It would be my honor if you could teach me some new moves."

He blinked and stood up from the sofa which he had been laying upon for the last half hour, grimacing even though his dignity was healing. He had been hoping she would ask. "Then let's take this in the backyard, my dear," he told her with a smile.

As soon as the door opened by his hand, she was the first one out, and she was flying into the air, throwing out kicks and punches while doing her infamous childish cry of the ninja - and a little _too_ high than expected - before landing on both feet atop the earth without a stumble, and spun around to face him with one hand raised and the other before her body. The stance was all too familiar to him...and then the light bulb flashed in his mind with utter shock. They hadn't even begun practicing, and already he spotted the certain aspects, making him wonder if her mother ever knew about this.

His gasp was harsh to his own ears as the realization dawned on his very soul.

Sara had the _Mystical Monkey Power._

"By the - oh, my, how could this be?" he managed to himself as he continued to watch her "prepare", relaxing her pose and flipping forward before back, and dancing in a way that only an ape would from tree to tree. His mind was racing with theories as to how she had the power - what if it was genetic? Yes, that could make sense; her father had to have passed his genes onto his offspring. The knowledge shocked Monty to his core.

On the other hand, it made him swell with immense pride.

"That's very impressive, Sara," he told her when she ceased and assumed the position, grinning at him. He returned the favor by summersaulting into the air and assuming his favored stance, imitating her for the moment before the lesson began.

Behind him, he heard the stereo on the porch being turned on, and saw the rodent had done the deed. Based on the chimes and exotic drumbeats filling his senses, he recognized it as a Chinese instrumental, and its rhythm fueled his nerves to enhance the training of little Sara in the art of Monkey Kung Fu - and he hoped she would be better than her father before him.

On second thought, when he remembered Kim's account of how her husband gave his life to save the town and his family from Professor Dementor's latest and final scheme - and absorbed the detonation with the power on a cellular level - Monty realized that his adversary had been worthy up to the very end, and he found it suitable now to call Ron Stoppable a hero.

~o~

"S-Sara has _Tai Shing Pek Kwar?_ "

To even feel the words escape her, much less say them, or even THINK about it made Kim feel sick already as they were taking off from Middleton and into the air. Monty had been helping her daughter yesterday only to discover certain moves he recognized in himself and in Ron. It made her put her face in her hands; how come she never noticed before?!

"She has a special gift," Monty told her with a light smile.

"Yes, but..." So many thoughts were pouring through her head. Now she was more worried than ever; what would this do to her daughter? She'd seen what Ron had gone through with that kind of power, and now it was their _daughter_ who inherited it! But Monty was so assuring that she would be fine, and she was not so sure.

He reached out and took her hand into his. "Please, Kimberly, have faith in her. I see her potential. Remember...Han?"

Kim swallowed and nodded. If he was thinking that Sara could - "She's not completely trained as Hana was," she told him strongly. "She did not go to Yamanouchi..." Instantly she realized she was rambling, but this was her child she was talking about! If something happened to Sara, it would be all on her. But, Monty was also right, because of everything Ron risked when they defeated the Lowardians and then Dementor's final act - Sara could prove superior one day with more training...

"Kimberly." Monty's voice interrupted her train of thought, his hold on her hand tightening. "We are NOT," he grated, "going to let any harm befall on her, understood? You can do anything, remember?"

It had been so long since her old line had been used, and her father's motto for the family was crystal clear: _Anything is possible for a Possible._ Sara was half Possible, half Stoppable. She had her father's acquired monkey powers as well as her mother's natural need to help those in need. If her mother and father could do those things, then so could she.

"Yeah," she whispered, feeling a tear fall down her cheek, which he reached over and wiped away.

"Don't cry, my sweet."

Being called sweet as the term for endearment made Kim melt inside. As well, his hand came to cup her cheek that she turned her face into it and kissed the calloused palm. The words slipped out automatically that she could not help it. "My...monkey lord."

She looked at him nervously, seeing his surprised gaze before it softened, and he hummed. Then there was the sound of innocent laughter and ooking. She looked past Monty to see Sara not far away down the aisle of his charter, joking around with the monkey ninjas, and Bates as well as Rufus were just behind her and Monty.

Hours later, they reached their destination over Yamanouchi Mountain. The time had come.

She was wearing her sheer black blouse like last time, only now with a black tank and tight cargo pants. Her parachute was strapped to her back, and her daughter was in the front. This kid was going to learn what it was like - for real - to be the daughter of Kim Possible...and Ron Stoppable.

"Ladies first!" Monty called out from behind her. He was strapped up and prepared, Bates behind him and who was looking very nervous as he was not in the best shape - not to offend - and all the monkey ninjas were beyond excited to do this.

Kim looked down at Sara, who had a mini helmet of her own and was giggling with excitement. Rufus was strapped safely to Kim's gear and ecstatic to get back in the game of parachuting. All the hilarious memories of Ron losing his stuff, but his pants being the majority...

"On your mark," she yelled behind her, gripping both sides of the opened exit. "Get set..." The clouds were no longer obscuring the view below, depicting lush masses of forest and mountains of snow, thin lines of silvery springs, waterfalls and other bodies of water. "...GO!"

She and Sara were the first out, and the little girl was screaming louder than ever, but not because she was scared. The wind in their faces was beyond refreshing, the adrenaline coursing through the body...just like the good old days.

"How are you holding up, Your Lordship?" she yelled over to Monty when he came down near them, apparently enjoying himself as well.

"Never better!" he returned, laughing like the monkey he partly was. "Nothing better than the wind in your hair and the thrill of the fall!"

Bates came in after them, far from enthralled. "I wish I could say the same for myself, milord!" He was trying not to scream in fear, something Ron would have done, but he had his big boy pants on for the sake of the others around him. The monkey ninjas came after, ooking and screeching as they loved the free-falling - and then it was time for the parachutes when they neared their destination which was the lush, ancient Yamanouchi School coming into view.

"WHEE!" Rufus squealed when they landed safely, avoiding all trees from cherry blossom to pagoda and even Mongolian oak - and the rush of excitement was over for them all except poor Bates, who could be called relieved. At least it was lightened up that he could substitute for Ron.

"Mommy, that was fun!" Sara said when she was freed from her mother's gear, looking around at the new place she was in and on the verge of jumping around when Kim had to stop her, remind her of her manners.

Monty took a look around as he beheld the sight of the place he helped nearly destroy but would do everything he could to make up for his wrongdoing. "Hmm, this place has changed quite a bit," he noted.

"It was rebuilt to what it could be of its former glory," another voice told him, coolly and formally, getting all their attentions to see a ninja in black, hooded and with shining eyes, "because you brought the demon on us all."

That voice was so familiar that no secrets were in order. Kim smiled at her and picked up her daughter, whose legs wrapped around her waist. She approached the woman and bowed her head. "It's been a long time...Yori."

 **It was always intended for little Sara to have inherited the Mystical Monkey Power from her father, given genetic was possible if the magic monkey stones no longer existed. Let's see what she can do when the final battle against Yono comes along. :D I also could not resist her kick to Monty's...private spot. XD It had been in my mind since the beginning, to have her deliver a blow to his manhood just for the fun of it.**

 **The song played when Monty began to teach Sara what he knows was "Kung Fu", composed by Derek and Brandon Fiechter on YouTube. :D An epic Chinese tune, yet it fits Monkey Kung Fu perfect.**


	22. Ninja Masters

**Another composition by Derek Fiechter (he is one of twin brother composers, yes) was "Ninja Master" which could very much be a theme for the Monkey Man himself. :D How could it be anymore perfect for this chapter - and for VERY obvious reasons?**

Chapter Twenty-One

Ninja Masters

"Kim Stoppable," the woman answered, removing her hood and exposing her face, which had not changed at all in four years since last time they saw each other. Her ebony hair was still cropped short, the same length Kim's was now, and her face did not age any more since becoming the new head of this elite secret ninja school. You could still see how it bore the honorable tradition of its country in terms of architecture and dignity, surviving centuries into a millennia of life until its near complete destruction a decade ago by a wicked simian entity. This woman before her had taken up the mantle left by the wise old man whose passing left another hole in Kim's heart even though she didn't know him well enough.

"Yori, it's been so long," Kim repeated, walking over to her old friend and allowing her hand to be taken by both of the other woman's. "You really are looking well."

Yori laughed shyly, waving a hand in dismissal. "You have not changed yourself, with your American style courtesy," she said, then looked down at little Sara. "Ah, your daughter, am I correct? I have not seen you since you were smaller." She reached over and accepted the child's small hand, laughing with her.

"Yori?" Sara questioned, blinking. "You and Mommy friends?"

"Yeah, we knew each other a long time ago, sweetie," Kim told her, bouncing her up and down. "So, Yori, I shouldn't ask if you know why we are here."

The other woman's face fell into a more somber expression. "Yes, the times are becoming that of even greater need than before - and because of him." Her eyes switched past her shoulder, and Kim knew why: Lord Monty Fiske - the man known as Monkey Fist - was right behind her, with his monkey ninjas and his loyal former valet in tow. "After everything he's done to us all, and he finds the gall to steal the Blade of Xian for himself when he should be in stone, paying for his crimes and his greed..." Her expression softened then.

"But alas, he has come to repent and defeat the Yono now. Master Sensei has foreseen this long before he passed into the next world." She clasped her hands in front of herself. "He anticipated Lord Monkey Fist -"

"Lord _Monty Fiske_ now," he interrupted coolly, taking a step forward with his posture held, but Yori continued calmly.

"- would be dug up and freed from his stoned prison, but there was wonder whether or not he would see everything he's committed in another light."

He folded his arms across his chest and lifted his chin. "Yes, yes, of course, I am sorry about the relic's death," he told her, arrogant as ever and for obvious reasons, "and now you're here carrying his torch." Bates looked between him and Yori with a worried expression, to which the woman gave a smile that was far from amused.

"Precisely."

Kim did not want any arguments on the first day. "Okay, everybody, can we not fight? Our enemy is the Yono and not each other."

Yori smiled at her. "You are right, Kim-chan. The Yono." Her eyes darkened like onyx. "The one that Han bested once before, the yin to the Yono's yang - and the one Xian herself defeated and casted down forever. Using the very weapon Lord Fiske tried to steal for himself." Now the accusatory tone was back, short-lived though. "And yet the goddess herself blessed him with her permission, according to my cousin who is a member of the Divine's ranks."

This surprised her; her old friend had a family member who was one of the devotees. "You have a cousin?" Kim repeated.

"Kame," the other woman answered with a brief nod. "Han and Xian are distant cousins and close-knit, so it is befitting their followers are allies, as you have guessed." But then her eyes returned to Monty, cold as ice once more. She might honor Master Sensei's wisdom and believe he was fighting to atone for what he did to her beloved school as well as to her and her friends ten years ago, but it was obvious she still hated his guts. Kim just hoped the more they worked together in the next few days to come, things would amend.

"For now, we will show you all to your quarters and then arrange a meeting with the others - and tomorrow the training begins."

~o~

He was not expecting a warm welcome in the slightest from Yori, who had not changed at all since last time he saw her. After all, when he brought the Yono to the very school and establishment she loved so dearly, she and Kim were there to fend them off.

 _You are most unwelcome here._

Monty would not be surprised if any of her students and fellow senseis would take those words to heart and spit them back at him, but once they saw he was redeeming himself - which would not be easy in their eyes - he would stand over them all and smile. Even at the woman herself.

He gazed around at the tranquility of the trees surrounding, the majestic valleys of the mountain in the distance, and the fresh air as the sun began to lower beneath the horizon of the late afternoon. He sighed at the feeling inside his lungs, prompting him to drop down and meditate on the spot, just enjoy the zen atmosphere...but Yori would not allow him to have that peace yet.

"Your valet will have a room of his own," she was explaining to him and Kim, gesturing for Bates into the first room, sliding the doors open and allowing him to take in the simplicity and lack of furniture; the bed itself was laid out over the oak floor itself, even deprived of the usual comforts you would find in English and American homes even. Well, the way of the ninjas meant little comfort but serenity, honor and fighting for what you believed it.

"I suppose the monkeys have one of their own," Monty stated coolly, then grinned when he got the answer, for his monkey ninjas were showed the next door down to Bates, leaving one last for him, Kim, Sara and Rufus. "I humbly thank you for this, Yori."

She gave him an icy look. "Do not thank me yet, Lord _Fiske._ " She hissed his name. "You have yet to prove the honor you claim you are gaining for your evil ways in the past." Her lantern lit the way into the room, and Sara's reaction was far from pleased.

"Mommy? Monty?"

"It's their style, sweetheart," her mother said gently. "It'll have to do. We're here not to just have fun. Monty and I have some...serious trouble to fight."

Sara looked up at her. "Like you and Daddy used to do?" she asked. Kim nodded, looking ahead now, and Monty saw the sadness return just like that; even Yori noticed.

"She has her father's childlike curiosity."

Kim smiled at her. "You have no idea."

Unspoken was that she also had her father's powers genetically inherited. The one thing the mother herself was worried about but Monty was confident over. He saw her reaching greatness someday and would be her teacher if he had to. He glared at Yori when her attention shifted back to him. "While Kim Stoppable and her daughter get settled, would a private word trouble you?" she asked.

Monty shifted and followed her out, watching behind him as mother and daughter sat down and surveyed their new surroundings, and Rufus himself laid back as he observed the good old days when he and his dead master were here. But as soon as he and Yori were away from the corridor and coming through the door of the structure, wind washed over their faces, but the lady herself was anything but peaceful.

"Monty Fiske, you're one of the most dishonorable men I have ever met."

He laughed without humor. "Oh, not as classically wizened as the old relic in terms of mannerisms, are you?" he stated smoothly, watching as she set the lantern down. Night had not yet fallen, but she must have brought it around for show.

She frowned at him. "I'm willing to put aside my personal feelings, but that does not mean I shall let this go so swiftly."

Monty inclined his head to the side. "No, you won't," he agreed, "but will you believe the fact I am here for 'honorable' purposes as you have made loud and clear when we arrived?"

"Stealing a sacred weapon is never honorable," Yori countered, folding her arms across her chest, "as the fact you used one of our best and brightest to desecrate the temple of the Lotus Blade and so many others across this world for your gain - however..." She reverted to the placidity of the old man himself and of the surrounding gardens.

"...your motives for finding the Blade of Xian herself is very much righteous."

Monty blinked. Never did he expect to hear _those_ words come out of her mouth. He had to say he was surprised, but he also knew there was more as much as it irritated him. Sensei had been cryptic and senseless - his word of choice - but while Yori carried his wisdom, she made much more sense for him. "Elaborate," he said impatiently.

"Master Sensei taught us long ago - and I am carrying the torch for him - that anger clouds your best judgment. You cannot hold your hate and rage to another who wishes to...redeem themselves."

Did Sensei really say that, or the wise old Confucius? He almost laughed before his better judgment held him. "But in terms of redemption, Lord Fiske, you are considered in all our eyes more warrior than soldier," Yori said, her voice firm even though her expression was far from it now.

Monty reeled back, angered at the insult. She - she had to - she called him a warrior, and it wasn't a compliment. "Just what exactly do you mean?"

"I speak these words you should ask of yourself if you wish to truly right the transgressions and amend your soul. What I mean is that because of your selfish motivations for the Mystical Monkey Power and desiring to destroy all who would attempt to stop you, you're a warrior unlike those in my ranks," she responded calmly. "A warrior fights what he loathes before his eyes - a soldier, however, fights for what is behind him. So, now it brings me to ask you, Monty Fiske: is there someone you wish to protect?"

~o~

She had laid Sara down for her nap by the time Monty returned to their shared room. The kid had been so tired that she passed out immediately, that a lullaby wasn't necessary. However, there was something about Monty that made Kim frown. His face was unreadable, and he didn't utter a word to her as he looked down at the sleeping little girl, kneeling in front of her and now smiling.

"She must be tired," he said softly as to not wake her.

"Yeah, from the long travel and the fall," Kim answered, running her palm over the little girl's forehead, brushing the bangs from her eyes. "What did Yori want you for?"

Somehow, she already knew - or at least, she thought she did. Yori must have set him straight about his old ways and now, and if she knew Monty better, she'd say he was doing everything he could to reform. Maybe Yori told him he'd better break every bone in his body in order to prove his word, but she wasn't that harsh. After all, she said her cousin was a member of Xian's tribe; ninjas all had their ways of knowing things others didn't.

Monty looked at her and was about to answer her when there was a soft knock on the door. It was Yori. "Forgive me for intruding," she said with a smile, "but the meeting will assemble, and afterward will come the dinner feast welcoming your arrival."

She swallowed; from the corner of her eye, Monty looked at her impassively. He wasn't looking forward to being in front of her students and peers, but he had to because it was necessary. He really was one of the bravest men she'd known in her life. "It is time then," he stated, standing and following her out. Kim took one last look at Sara's sleeping form, and Rufus nodded that he would guard her. Trusting her loyal little rodent, Kim exited with Monty in time for the monkey ninjas to come out and join. She met up with Bates who was scratching the back of his head.

"I will guard the child for you," he promised, before walking past her and into the room where Sara slept. That made a human and animal to guard while the major ones went to do their parts.

Surprisingly, the crowd to gather before them was not that immense, consisting of thirty-something students in white and below ten senseis in black just like Yori. Smaller than expected, but the solemn faces and fire-filled eyes were enough to have made Monty cringe internally if not for the fact he was stronger than that. Kim sat beside him on her knees, but he sat between her and Yori, in the lotus position and bowing his head while Yori herself stood and spoke loud for all to hear.

"My honorable students and comrades, in light of recent events, now the man from our tongues has come before us," she said, her eyes scanning the crowd like a hawk. "All I ask is that you do not dishonor yourselves without hearing what he himself has to say, because in four more days, the Yono's blood moon solstice is coming, and he is our hope as well as the woman who is a longtime, dear friend and comrade of mine -" She gestured to them both.

"Kim Stoppable and Lord Monty Fiske - otherwise known as Monkey Fist."

The man who nearly destroyed their sacred school, all the eyes spoke as they landed on the man himself, who returned the looks without a flinch. Yori looked back down at him before kneeling and nodding for him to stand up. Clearing his throat, Monty looked ahead and boldly made direct eye contact with even the most hateful of glares.

"Yes, you all know me by my alias your honorable sensei has given. You all have a reason to not trust me, but I assure you all I have immense regrets for the sins I committed against the school," he said, as clearly as Yori had, without a waver in his voice. He clasped his hands behind his back and stood straighter. "Before I carry on, I offer my sincerest condolences for the loss of the great Master Sensei before this day. When I myself trained here for a short amount of time, he was the one who oversaw my training. But my reasons for coming here to Yamanouchi numerous times were for purely selfish reasons, and the most recent involved returning from the punishment I deserve - and I see in all your eyes that I did. It opened my eyes to the mistake I made, among the other things that followed in my life to make me believe that a great power comes great responsibility...and that it is not the only thing in life to matter above all else."

His eyes turned briefly down to his right, where Kim was still kneeling. She lowered her eyes because she felt so proud of him and wanted to show it with her tears she was fighting. He carried on then with his chin held higher.

"I was once told by Sensei - and another -" His eyes rotated briefly to his other side, to Yori. "- how a warrior fought for his own purpose while a soldier fought for what he protected...and he protects those he loves, whether it be the one he carries in his heart, his family or even his country. Before I sought to be a warrior, I was in command of my own destiny - but now I see I was wrong to deliberately go down that path. It made me realize what I had done.

"I can't change the past," Monty said strongly, like a politician more than the fighter he was, "but I can do so now in the present and atone for the very sins I wronged upon those I harmed. I wish to offer this in the hope we can work as one with your allies who have now become mine against a common enemy - and I will be beyond pleased to call you my comrades in arms."

Kim felt her heart burst and rush with so much emotion she could not explain it. Even Yori looked surprised; the rest of the ninja students and teachers before them could hardly contain their gasps of dismay that he, Monty Fiske AKA Monkey Fist, was becoming more like them and was pleading with them to aid him in destroying the Yono once and for all even though he was a deity.

And what was more: he was calling himself a soldier now, now that she knew what Yori had been talking to him about. A soldier, armed with love, could make sacrifices. When he entered the fight with Yono, not just necessarily to save his soul, but to be prepared to sacrifice for those he loved and therefore earn the peaceful remainder of his life in every way possible.

Oh, wait. He used the word love, but didn't say who exactly. All she could think of were...

Then Yori's voice arose, dignified and believing his every word. "Lord Fiske has done so much dishonor in his lifetime, but he is telling the truth. And for that, we will allow him to side with us in battle - and to teach us all his methods to make our ranks stronger."

Kim remained kneeling on the ground and watched as she dropped to her knees before Monty, causing him to start and even more when the students and rest followed suit, but bowing their heads forward instead. They were all giving him their blessings and forgiveness, and their willingness to give him a chance to help them as they would help him. Reading his entire face now, she saw how honored he felt and could not play modesty now. He was one step closer to ultimate redemption.

~o~

He had never felt so much better in his life. The next morning, he was in the courtyard supervising the training of his first class, and who was to say he did not deserve the honor?

When he was here as a temporary student, Yamanouchi taught _Tai Shing Pek Kwar_ in order to improve the ninja's way. Upon learning that information, Monty Fiske was beyond enthralled and made his way to gather enough of what he learned before he began the real journey.

When he stood before the window serving as a mirror, he fastened the garb around his body and beheld himself proudly - at the face and body of the man he was in the "good old days" when Team Possible constantly defeated him. The gi tunic and pants were black, and he no longer hid his hands and feet as everyone knew who and what he was, not that he minded. He was alive and free - everything about himself free except for his soul. In three more days, that would be amended, but in a very dangerous outcome.

His monkey ninjas were involved, one each being paired up with a student to instruct them but also to fight at the same time - without fatal blows, of course. If any, they were to teach how to use such strikes instead of directly fracturing the neck itself or the spinal cord even. He chuckled to himself as he observed how the first day was coming along smoothly, with five or six exceptions, given _Tai Shing Pek Kwar_ had two different kung fu arts in one that it wasn't easy to teach one who did not possess the Mystical Monkey Power - _Tai Shing_ meaning "monkey" whilst _Pek Kwar_ translated to "axe-hand"... _monkey fist._

 _Monkey Fist._

He closed his eyes and remembered the day the meaning of the art settled in, how similar it sounded to _Monty Fiske._ It was like it was a thread connecting the two different names together, like the divine matchmaker himself linking couples with his red thread for all eternity. Opening his eyes again, he found himself looking down at Kim who had come beside him. She was assisting him even though she did not have Monkey Kung Fu training. Beyond, there were also Sara and Rufus; he recalled his horror when he learned the rodent also had the power, having gotten it with his master at the same time, and Fiske learned when the mole rat snatched the Lotus Blade from his grasp. Rufus was teaching the child good thus far.

Speaking of those exposed to the power, the ability was already within them without the proper training, but to find it within themselves was far more complex and came off naturally so. This had been the case with Ron Stoppable, but even he was bested by Monkey Fist in their first duel albeit temporarily.

"Well, Lord Fiske," Kim said sweetly after turning her attention from her daughter whom she was still keeping eyes like a predatory bird over, "how do you feel like that one-on-one like you wanted? For old time's sake?"

He grinned down at her. "You want a fight, Mrs. Stoppable?" he returned slyly. "You got one."

 **I was thinking about Naruto in the first season of the original show when Hako asks him if there is someone he cares about to protect if he wants to be a great ninja, and that was what inspired me when Yori asked Monty if he had a heart enough to redeem himself.**

 **The information about Monkey Kung Fu came from the Kim Possible wiki, and I always wondered if learning the meaning of** _ **Tai Shing Pek Kwar**_ **was one reason for Monty Fiske to feel that intense connection.**

 **Now that he's been accepted, he's that much closer to the final battle and redeeming himself. :D We're getting close now.**


	23. Zen Gardens and Hot Springs

**Lately I have been so nauseous in the mornings, and I had to reread the last couple chapters for some last-minute spelling/grammar error checks, and the knowledge that we are close to the epic final battle means more care with this chapter.**

Chapter Twenty-Two

Zen Gardens and Hot Springs

"You want a fight, Mrs. Stoppable? You got one."

He had asked her for old times' sake, and she would give it to him. Now was the perfect time than ever. She returned the grin. "But how about we take it somewhere else instead of with Sara and these others watching?" she asked with a nod to her right. "They are doing well without us. Your monkeys can teach them; you taught them well yourself."

"I suppose I have," he affirmed with a wink. "Where do you have in mind if not with our students who need us?"

Kim giggled. These students were doing well that half an hour would not kill. There were enough spare teachers around - but one in particular. "Yori," she said, "could you watch the class for us while we train with...each other?" She looked back at Monty in time to see the devilish gleam in his eyes.

Yori laughed and bowed her head. "It would be my honor, the both of you. Just be back in time for the rice lunch break - Monty Sensei," she told him with a little wink, causing him to snort and laugh at the same time, "and Kim Sensei."

She was tempted to double over with laughter at their new titles - temporary, however - and how funny it was to call a British man and an American woman with them. She found she liked it even though she would not be here permanently, and neither would he. Monty had been here to train in what he could about Monkey Kung Fu when he was a young man; he could settle down and become a sensei here, but that wasn't her choice to make for him. It was only a thought. He suited the role very well. It was only the first day, but Monty was very tough on his students if not physically laying a hand on them. How else could a teacher be?

He was lenient and strict at the same time, raising his voice when an error was made; he would step in himself between the partners - one ninja monkey and one Yamanouchi student - so he could show the human pupil what the monkey neglected. He had the tendency to bark at those beneath him, but Kim herself? She would step in and patiently correct them when the man himself was not the way he was with Sara. It was because of the circumstances he was a bit harsher than usual.

Yori noticed but did not pull him aside to correct his teaching methods. Time was of the essence; they had three more days before night fell on the Yono's solstice. She bit her lip at the thought, her stomach churning because they were so close...to think of what that demon would do like he did ten years ago...

No, Monty was facing him in a one-on-one match, which scared her even though he was fiercely determined. If he was as anxious as she was, he would not show it. Why was she so worried now? Back in the day, she didn't worry about anything, but as maturity reached, losing her husband and giving everything she did with him up so she could peacefully raise their daughter had changed her.

Until Monty Fiske, the man whose bed she shared only one forbidden night with, walked back into her life with the intention of saving his soul. He wasn't the man who used her anymore, the man who rivaled Ron most of all, the man who threatened innocent people to get his way - he was changing.

As soon as she and Monty were away from the courtyard, they came onto a small section of garden that consisted of a glassy pond set with smooth rocks beneath the surface as well as a few to step on, penetrating the clear horizon. Bamboo trees protruded in random places whilst clearing the pathway for them. In the clearing was the great outdoors themselves, which was an even vast garden of exquisite trees of every kind - cherry blossoms and oaks mostly - as well as lightly raising hills and pristine gravel interrupted with a pond and a great bridge leading to the other side. How could Japanese - or Asian _period_ \- be so clean, simple and perfect?

"Well," Monty spoke, voice low and rich behind her, chuckling in his throat, "we have all the space to ourselves."

It would have been suggested to mean something else, but _that_ was not what he was implying at the moment. "It seems we do," she answered. All the space they had for what was coming. Her nerves flared with excitement because it would be like the old times between them...except different.

His voice was in her ear, sizzling her nerves and nearly touching her outer shell with his lips. "I'm giving you a head start, Kimberly..." he rumbled, and that just about did it.

Kim whirled around and quickly dodged the first swipe towards her head, ducking low before her legs sprung beneath her body and aided in her sailing backwards, spinning and landing on her feet in her favorite crouching position. If they would start this the way they used to, then she would not let him take it from here, never let him get what he wanted - and that was to win over her. No ancient artifacts at his mercy, but she was ready to beat him now.

~o~

He growled as he beheld the sight of her, assuming the stance from the old days when their roles were antagonistic - but it was for the fun of it in these circumstances. Surrounded by intimate nature at its finest, perfect for meditation about life's meanings and secrets...oh, there would be no severe injuries now, but he was prepared to use these surroundings to his advantage.

She stood on lush emerald grass, flawless and untarnished by seasons past and forthcoming after today, her feet parted in her position. Briefly he took note of the northern distance between her thighs before he pushed that thought to the back of his mind and focused on now. Usually, he was the one to make the first move, and her eyes reminded him of that. She DARED him to be the first to go in their dance, and the fire in those eyes just stoked his own.

"Well?" she teased when she saw him remaining where he was. "Are you going to go first or just stare at me all day?"

Only half an hour - or less - and they wasted only a few minutes, so time was of the essence. The spirits in the air whispered to him, but he could not understand them. "You asked for it." And then he was sailing her way, spinning in a ball before relaxing and landing on her opposite side, his feet coming in contact with gravel, the line drawn between his side and hers which was smooth grass. One single barrier separating two different elements - and broken it was when he delivered the first kick out to her; he would have struck her abdomen if she had not swept beneath him, throwing her kick to his feet, but he sailed over her again and struck for her, hoping to catch her next blow before she dodged him yet again. The young Kim Possible inside her had not tarnished in the slightest.

Yet.

Now he was on the same side as she, sharing her territory and delivering more surprises that turned out to match the old ways. Monkey Kung Fu was unlike any other _ninjutsu_ in existence, and it was only new to those who had not learned its ways. This was nothing new between him and her.

She was very much like him at the moment; not only was her much shorter hair flaring like fire, but her ninja garb was black as his. She was his equal, his partner. Her soul matched his from the moment they met, reconnecting after his return from the devil's realm. The spirits around them watched from the shadows of the trees, from the depths of the great pool of water floating with white lotuses and pads, and from the heavens obscured with silvery-white parting to let the sun shine down on them.

Behind her, the gravel gave off the appearance of the ocean it represented, surrounding larger rocks which were the islands. The little intricate details mattered more than everything else as they combined into one great element that made a difference. There was no living flora besides the growing grass around and the divine ones floating atop the crystalline surface of the pond; no living elements were necessary as the simplistic exotic appeal represented harmony and life with no needed means to overwhelm.

None of it did anything to distract him from her as she swept under him, but a tree nearby provided his next move as he jumped over her, landing on the tree branch and climbing further to hide in the depths, shielding himself from her. He hoped she would follow him and catch on, prolong the chase; if not, he would play with her and sneak up on her when she didn't sense him. This was now a fun game of hide and seek.

She didn't follow him, because she didn't see him. His black garments aided in the camouflage. His veins burned as he watched her from his hiding place. She kept her eyes on where she assumed he vanished - and she was right - and he smirked to himself as he reached behind his head to pull the mask over his face, having the most brilliant idea at the moment. Below, Kim was ready to make her move, ready to pounce and follow him as he predicted, but he was already grasping the tree branch beneath him and swooping down, hanging upside down behind her and purring into her ear, causing her to whirl.

"Behind you."

"Oh, you bastard!" She was smiling and laughing, however, at the fact he was wearing the mask instead, as means to just catch her off. And what she did next took him off-guard altogether. She reached up and took the mask from the bottom and pulled it down until the lower half of his face was revealed to her - and she placed her lips over his.

His body was awashed with intense warmth as soft moisture met with his skin. Closing his eyes, he relished the feel of her lips connecting with his. He murmured against her mouth, feeling her jaw part to allow his tongue to mate with hers. She was so delicious, so sinfully irresistible, as she had been as a teenager, but now she was a full woman who no longer doubted his intentions. She was his partner and no longer his opponent.

Consequently, this cost his balance above her, for his hands and feet lost their hold on the tree branch, and he found himself falling and landing atop her, pinning her to the ground beneath him.

He should feel outraged that he lost control of himself, and she should feel the same because he had the upper hand, but she said nothing, and her eyes had no trace of anger in her gaze. He sneered down at her, but it was a playful one. She got him with her luscious kiss and her charm, luring him into her trap; he had taken the bait and let himself be captured. Now he lay atop her and captured her lips again with his because he knew why she did this to him: payback for the kiss he gave her on their date at the Golden Elephant, but nothing of the sort happened again afterwards...until now.

"Kimberly," he growled when he pulled from her, "you are in for this now."

"That's what you get for sneaking up on me," she countered back with a playful quirk of the brow.

She reversed their positions, and he let her. Her hair fell on either side of her face if not covering each side all the way. They were supposed to be sparring for practice before they returned to their students, yet this was what they were engaging in instead - a passionate lip-lock in nature's serenity, tempting them to forget about the time limit they had left and just spend it out here with each other, but they could not neglect their important tasks ahead. She was the one to end the bliss.

"We have to get back."

"I know." She slid off of him, standing with him and returning to Yori, the monkey ninjas and the students. It was time for the midday meal which he remembered too well, and to acquire the minimal food in your belly wasn't an easy task when it came to the elderly woman whose skills had not diminished in her age. Monty chuckled as he tried to think of how Sara would fare with her turn.

~o~

On the third day, the sun arose, and Kim blinked the sleep from her eyes when she found herself laying on her back, staring up at the ceiling. Her stomach turned as she knew they were closer than ever, but she had to force it down. Dawn blanketed the room, covering her and the others behind her. She looked to her right to see Sara sleeping peacefully and with Rufus in front of her.

Kim looked to her other side to see Monty right behind her. His soft breaths brushed the hair that fell over his eyes, making her smile and reach to push the strands from his handsome features. She accidentally brushed against his forehead, waking him. He looked blearily at her and smiled sleepily.

"Well, a good morning to you."

She shifted so she faced him full-front. "Today's the day," she whispered. "The Xian followers come today, and by tonight the..." She trailed off then, but they both knew what she was talking about.

When night fell, the Yono's night would begin at midnight when the moon was at its highest.

Then the fight would begin.

Monty sighed and looked away from her to nothing in particular. "I know, and it is about time, too. Tonight I take back what I gave away blindly, my dear."

She reached up and cupped that side of his face, turning him back to her. "You're not alone in this," she reminded him.

He nodded. "I know," he repeated softly, then leaned up to kiss her chastely on the lips.

Then the sound of the gong announced that everyone should get up and be prepared for the arrival of their allies. Kim had to say she was looking forward to meeting Lady Amaterasu again, now that she must have a reason to trust Monty, as should her fellow warriors, but she might be wrong on that. She also wondered what Yori's cousin - Kame, was it? - was like. Two cousins in two different tribes should be interesting.

When she took in the sight of Monty dressing up in his black garments, he was very much the Monkey Man of her younger days, and handsome as ever. She always knew he was but didn't take it too far because of their encounters. She smiled at his back; he then turned halfway her way and saw her eyeing him, smiling softly.

"Mommy?" Kim looked down to see Sara in her white outfit, biting her lower lip. "What's going to happen now? Tonight?"

She sighed and knelt before her child, taking in the innocence and enormous strength she inherited from both her parents. "Something very bad, sweetie. But don't worry." She pressed a kiss to the small forehead. "We're going to get through this together."

Monty came over to them and knelt before them, wrapping his arms around them. "Truer words have never been spoken," he said strongly. "Sara, when you're a little older, you'll understand all of this." He then leaned down to give her a small peck on the forehead. Kim leaned her head against his shoulder; if he'd been married before, he would have made a wonderful father.

~o~

Black-garbed teachers and masters as well as white-clad students stood before the great school and looked over the distance, seeing the crowd of ghostly white coming forth like a cloud from the mountains. Monty's blood pumped with the giddiness of a child awaiting Christmas - a holiday he never truly enjoyed as a child, but he remembered being told the feeling - because today was the day...

...or should he say, tonight was the night?

He clenched his hands at his sides as he tried to imagine the Yono's face when he held his arch enemy's weapon before him and slayed him even though he was immortal. But it was irony: immortal weapon against an eternally living being. And who better than the man who gave his freedom and his spirit to the Yono himself?

Oh, the thrill to raise HER weapon - but the infuriation to wait until night grew late, and the Yono's night would begin.

"Yori Sensei...it has been a long time."

Lady Amaterasu herself stood in her robed regality, hands clasped in front of her and bowing the same traditional way as the mentioned woman in black had done. Monty watched with Kim beside him; the lady in white did not look their way yet, but the time would come.

"My lady, indeed it has," Yori answered with a soft smile. "The time is upon us, and to have our peoples come together is an absolute honor." Then her attention shifted to the woman's left at the hooded female with sharper eyes. "Ah, cousin Kame." She bowed her head. "It has -"

"Been a long time," came an equally sharper tone that made Monty raise an eyebrow. Kim did the same but said nothing. "Yes, it has."

"My right hand," Amaterasu said brusquely, raising a delicate eyebrow. "Such attitude will not be tolerated at a time like this - or do I need to remind you once more?"

Monty furrowed his brows now. Something told him there was actually bad blood between Yori and her cousin, and it did beg a story why they were on different sides - different in terms of goddesses and tribes. He watched as the three women conversed for a few more minutes before it was Yori herself to raise her hand and gather all attention of both sides. "Honorable soldiers of Han and Xian, tonight we face a lethal final battle with the fearsome Yono, and it is likely the Destroyer himself would not be alone, for he shall raise his army against ours."

It was then that he felt himself go rigid. Oh, how did he not know of this before? Yono had an ARMY...an army of monkeys, no doubt. How could the ancient texts have not mentioned this before?! But there were always some things that a dangerous being like Yono would not mention for the curious-minded and the cautious, marking him even more red-zoned - figuratively speaking - than you realized. Well, it was a well-kept, last minute revealed secret that Yori had to tell them all today. At least it was better than tonight, because the last three days of training would have been for nothing by then.

"But no matter because we all stand as one," Yori went on proudly, "and because we have the ones -" She raised her hand and gestured his way as well as Kim's. "- who will slay the monster for us all, with the blessings of Xian herself."

It was then that Lady Amaterasu herself approached them with a familiar slim, exquisitely carved box, opening it and raising the contents to him. The Blade of Xian glimmered in the rising sunlight, with its sheer immortal perfection as they both remembered. Overwhelmed but exalted, Monty sank to his knees as his sign of respect for receiving the weapon he stole once but repented and allowed to come back to him on this very day.

He wanted to hold the weapon now, but the lady herself would not allow him yet because he had to be patient a little longer, as much as he loathed to wait any longer - but patience was a virtue.

"Xian has spoken to us," Amaterasu spoke softly, her hardened eyes softening at the same time, "and she will watch over us all - especially you."

He bowed his head. "Thank you, lady."

The day passed without trouble besides more training, and when the sun began to set, he found himself looking over the horizon, wondering if there was a chance he could do the one thing he wanted to with Kim since a spare moment was a rarity. He was going off to his destiny to defeat the Yono, and she would be by his side. The Yono would rue the day he turned her to stone, nearly destroyed the school - and Monty no longer blamed himself for that. He would use that night to be stronger, and with her beside him.

When he met with Kim, Sara was again lying down for a nap, and her back faced the door when he arrived - and was stunned at the sight of Kim in the long kimono that Yori had lent her. It was semi-sheer, champagne-colored chiffon with delicate ivory lace trimming the sleeves, neckline and the front slit which bared her leg. The sight made his body temperature rise, but - "Kimberly?"

"Yori said there was a spring near the school, and I was thinking of finally heading there before we go off to battle," she said softly. "Care to join me?"

Oh, yes, he remembered this spot all too well. In fact, so few but enough, there were hot springs to bathe for humans besides for primates. His monkey ninjas had been here after training sessions, but he hadn't had the luxury yet...and now here he was with Kimberly who was still in her robe, having traveled all the way on bare feet while he was still in his gi uniform. The spring itself lay several yards from the forest clearing, resting in cracked ice and steaming silvery soft. He allowed her to go first, but when he turned to face her, he had to suppress a surprised gasp when she opened her robe and let it drop to reveal her body to him - and a body he had not seen since she was a young woman of sixteen.

Her skin was the same soft honey he recalled, her breasts full and her stomach flat, and there lay the fiery curls between her legs in which he claimed her for that one night. However, her curves were fuller now as she was a mature woman barely reaching thirty. Some things did ripen with age, after all. Clearing his throat, he remembered his manners and began to undress himself, letting her see him in the same natural state before they both turned ahead and stepped into the fiercely passionate pool together.

He sighed pleasurably as the steam moistened the areas of his body that did not submerge into the water; Kim's moan was magic to his ears. He turned back to look at her, disappointed that she ducked so her chest was covered, but no matter. He enjoyed this side of her enough. Monty found it in himself to move her way but keep a safe distance if she didn't want it.

However, when she met his gaze, her eyes were glimmering with deep liquid heat that sent him thrumming in his system. Unconsciously, his hands moved upwards and came to clasp hers, bringing her close to him so their bodies rested together beneath the molten pool. He wanted to drown in her eyes, remain encased in them forever, because there was one thing that mattered most to him in this moment even if he feared telling her now and risking ruining the moment before they went off to a final fight against the demon himself. The last thing he needed was a hesitant response from her. These feelings that boiled in his being went beyond simply lust, beyond cherishing her daughter with her - and beyond working with her as a partner instead of the enemy he used to be.

Monty Fiske had unconditionally and courageously fallen in love with Kim Stoppable.

 **A sparring session in the zen garden was nothing short of perfect - including a masked kiss that was inspired by the "kiss in the rain" between Mary Jane and Spider-Man in the 2001 film. :D Followed by the hot springs moment you just witnessed. And there is no sex that transpired from there.**

 **So YAY, Monty boy realized his feelings for her. :D But he's too afraid to tell her right now, you idiot! It is because he's still acclimating to the word love even though Kim is aware of how much they mean to each other now. But don't go away; the time will come to confront each other about that.**

 **Next chapter, the battle begins. :D**


	24. When the Blood Moon Rises

**I've waited all this time to get to this point, so if I'm excited, you all will be as well. Enjoy!**

Chapter Twenty-Three

When the Blood Moon Rises

"Milord?"

"What is it, Bates?" Upon returning to join him and the monkey ninjas for one last round of training in their room, he had to sit down in the middle and meditate as the monkeys would know better than to accidentally strike him in midst of their duels amongst each other.

Now he was broken out of his reverie when the man who raised him towered over him with the black tea set from the kitchens, the smell of green tea reaching his nostrils. He wanted to wave it off, but he supposed no one should die on an almost empty stomach. The evening meal would come soon, anyway.

He tried his best to not think about death even though it was always inevitable. He tried not to think about losing any of those he had grown to care for - including _her._

"Oh, thank you," he said when Bates offered him a cup, still sitting in the lotus position and bringing the exquisitely scented fluid to his lips. Herbs and a subtle hint of tangy sweetness touched his tongue, just like... _NO._ This was not a good time to have such thoughts. But the animal inside him could not help himself. His eyes rolled upwards when Bates spoke again.

"Why is it that I sense something else...troubling you, milord?"

"Now why would you assume I am troubled?"

Bates cleared his throat. "You hide it well, but not from me," he answered.

He sighed. "You know me _too_ well, I suppose..." Monty set the tea down before himself, wondering how best to explain his worries. Could he _really_ tell the man what was truly bothering him? He had always been there when he needed him, and Monty did owe him for saving his life, so perhaps he could indulge on what was on his mind.

"It's Kimberly."

It seemed there was no need to elaborate. "You are in love with her, milord."

"I am," Monty replied, looking ahead and seeing how all the monkey ninjas paused in their training to listen. What could he do? Barking at them would not help. "And it is gnawing me away that I do not know how I can go into battle with this knowledge..."

"I'm afraid it is eating you away because you have only just realized the depths, but if only you can use that as your motivation to fight for the one you wish to come back to," Bates told him. "There is nothing wrong to love."

Monty clenched his jaw. "Elaborate."

The former valet sighed and bowed his head. "My lord, you are human like everyone else - myself included - and you deserve to feel this way. I am sure Mrs. Stoppable thinks so as well," he said with an easy smile, but it did nothing to ease Monty's self-consciousness.

"Yes, but my father -" The man who made him, the man who rejected him because he "killed" the woman who gave birth to him - the woman who actually gave her life to save her baby's...

He had not expected Bates to burst the way he did. He jumped a little and looked at Bates in shock when he unleashed his tirade.

"Your father was a fool! I know I shouldn't speak ill of the dead, but if he were to meet your mother in the afterlife, she would have given him a tongue lashing as she was not one to let anyone get away without hearing the truth from her. He was never there for you to see who you are now, and if he had, he would realize that you are just as much like your mother, and might have healed if he had just opened his eyes instead of putting his head up his arse." A strong tomato blush crept to his cheeks, and he looked down at the floor, shifting from foot to foot. "Pardon me for speaking such."

The monkeys' form of laughing was a collective hysterical screeching as they fought to keep themselves on their feet as the man unleashed his wrath on the late Edward Fiske. Monty himself was astounded as he never heard Bates curse such, especially about the former lord aloud. Yet he couldn't help chuckling as he thought how right he was. His father had definitely been an arse, as he said, and his mother, bless her soul, would probably have given him hell for all the things their son had to endure under him.

"You're right, Bates," he intoned softly, smiling and not hurting inside from it. "You are absolutely right."

"When was I ever wrong, milord?" the other man returned playfully, kneeling in front of him on one knee. "Stop running from it, find it in your heart and use it for both of your sakes. It's not a fairytale, Monty, but love does conquer all."

He blinked, feeling like he was having an out-of-body experience and stood on both feet, looking down at the man who raised him in stunned silence. He had...he had not called him _Monty_ since he had become a young man and inherited everything left by his father. He brought his hand up and placed it over the very place Bates had pointed out: _his heart._ He closed his eyes. It was beating a thousand times more than it had moments ago. He was not going to drop his pride and show that he was crying inside...but his inner self forced his eyes opened again and allowed two perfect tears to roll down his cheeks, and his arms moved on their own, taking the man who raised him into the first physical embrace for an eternity.

"Thank you, Bates," he breathed hoarsely, looking over and seeing the monkey ninjas' eyes glittering as they had never thought they'd see this side of their master. But he only smiled at them through his tears of joy and...love.

~o~

To feel her seven-foot-long blade strapped to her waist was exciting. Well, exciting as far as a woman with experience could think. She held her hood in her hands and looked down at it now, wondering if she really needed it as she always showed her face. Yono would not get her again, and he wouldn't get her daughter or Rufus, either.

She could just imagine Monty right now, fastening that ninja garb around his body as he looked at himself in the mirror, admiring himself from the old days and smiling proudly at himself. And knowing the Xian blade would be the one to stand out from the rest of them...

"Why, Kim Stoppable, you are ready to fight. What is the American phrase? Like the...good old days?" Yori asked as she stood beside the redhead.

Kim laughed lightly. "Yeah, just like the good old days." However, she found herself looking across the room in the mirror to see Sara entertaining the other students in white who would ride off into battle but keep guard over her. Keeping Sara confined in here? It would have been for her own good, but like her mother said to herself, she had to know what it was like to be Kim Possible's daughter.

Yori noticed her expression. "Your daughter will be in good hands, I promise," she swore tenderly, giving her a brief pat on the back of her shoulder. "I will keep her close to me and ensure she won't be in the crossfire."

"Yeah, about the crossfire thing - what's the sitch with you and your cousin?"

She had seen the cold formality in the Xian devotee whose face she never saw, but a part of her did want to meet her despite the obvious rivalry - and she found herself wanting to know the story as she just asked her friend who bowed her head and sighed.

"Cousin Kame and I both come from an honorable family, but when we grew to womanhood, we drifted apart," Yori said sadly, inclining her head forward in another brief bow. "When I was accepted into this school, Kame had tried to apply, but Master Sensei tested her and foresaw she did not have the qualifications. It was that which drove us apart. She felt betrayed and so confronted me, challenged me and accused me of being the favorite in the family over her side, as our fathers were brothers - but it was I who was honored with the blessing of the Yamanouchi School's teachings."

Kim exhaled. It was one thing to be rejected by an elite school despite coming from the same family. In Japanese familial tradition, the honored family was served by the other half, therefore determining the fate of the other half who wasn't so worthy. "I'm sorry to hear that...but it begs how she got to become a member of the Xian tribe," she said.

Yori offered a small smile. "Sensei decided that even though she wasn't exceptional for his school, he requested Lady Amaterasu - a longtime comrade of his - to take her under the wing in hopes of giving her some hope in guarding the Blade of Xian, which is better than living with a void...but Kame never truly forgave me," she said softly, lowering her eyes. "I've grown to accept change, but it was her loss that I never truly healed from."

"I am still sorry," Kim said sadly, trying so hard not to tear up. She wasn't sure what she'd do if that had been her and cousin Joss, or even her and cousin Larry. Just to lose someone so close to you was more than you could bear.

Behind them, the door opened, and in strolled a young woman in white, but bearing the insignia of Xian. "Yori Sensei," she said, bowing, "I regret to inform you that Kame, your dear cousin, has been reported missing. She has left two hours ago but never returned."

~o~

Well, this was interesting. Yori's cousin was missing for two hours, and no one knew when they last saw her other than to go out with another couple of her fellow ninja to check for any activity near the Yono's canyon - but none of them ever came back.

Even Lady Amaterasu voiced her concerns, closing her eyes and inclining her head. "Time is running out," she said. "We are all prepared and must make the march soon, but we must wait for Kame to return."

Yori nodded, somber in the face. Monty could read it all in her eyes from where he was standing; she might not be close knit with Kame, but she had every reason to worry for her life if something had happened - and his guts were telling him something WAS happening. "She is my blood, and I must wait for her - but if we waste any more time, we must proceed without her. If I know my cousin, she is strong as the ones with her," she said to them all.

"My ladies," Monty spoke up, hands clasped behind his back, "if I may be so blunt, but perhaps more should be sent out after Kame and the others - such as myself and Kimberly?"

He thought it plausible for Kim and himself to go, as in case nothing went according to plan - which it hadn't so many times in his life, so he would not take any chances here. He would not do this alone because she was a strong woman - the strongest he'd ever known, and he would sacrifice his life before he let something happen to her if he had to.

It would also give him the chance to say what was inside his heart to her.

He would gladly risk a decline if it was necessary, and Yori looked torn between letting them go, and also in regards to her wayward cousin - finally she nodded after exchanging a glance with Amaterasu.

"You may, Lord Fiske. My cousin is a strong warrior, yet it would be considerable to see if anything would have happened. You and Kim-chan may go. I pray you find her soon."

"But be quick," the lady in white added, more solemnly, "for the moon will soon be upon us."

Monty nodded. "Thank you for your blessings," he said, then looked at Kim when she came to stand beside him. She was armed and ready to go, like the brave soldier she was - but he was missing his own, and Lady Amaterasu seemed to read his mind, for she produced the box containing the goddess' weapon, opening the lid for him to take.

"Use it wisely, Lord Montgomery Fiske - and brace yourself for the greatest secret this weapon possesses when you near the battle," the lady intoned.

To hold the weapon once more made the power still inside him rush with pleasure - and by pleasure, he meant passionately strong and ready to go kill the devil, be done with it so he could be with Kim and Sara. The powerful gold-bronze hilt carved with the inscription, the blinding silver blade etched with osmanthus flowers, and the straight, single edge sharp; he was tempted to cut the tip of his finger as a test before his better judgement held him back. He inhaled through his nose and let it out. These women truly had no idea how long he had waited for this moment to arrive.

"I will let no one down, my lady," he swore, bringing the weapon to his heart, holding it as though he had died and would carry it with him for eternity. "I swear in every bone in my body, in my blood that I will let no harm befall on this sacred blade, use it for no other purpose but one."

And that was to kill the Yono.

Before they left, Kim knelt before her daughter to kiss her and promise her she would be back, but if not in time, then urged her to be brave for her mother. Monty felt his heart clench as he watched the heartbreaking sight of mother and daughter trying not to cry, praying this would not be the last time they saw each other. The last thing he wanted was to break his promise to that little girl who was now like a daughter to him - the daughter he never had - and never return with her mother alive and well. Should he add that the last thing he needed was leaving her now deprived of _both_ parents?

Monty would not think like that, but just in case - and he knew his heart would not bear it - he did lose his beloved Kim, he would take care of Sara for her and be the father she wanted. Of course, he wouldn't take her from her other relatives, but he would always relocate to Middleton if he had to.

But none of that happened yet.

"Please come back, Mommy, Monty," little Sara said with her lower lip stuck out as she continued to hold her mother, looking up at Monty in return. Her jade eyes - her mother's eyes - were watered and fighting to keep from letting the tears fall. Melting inside and shushing her gently, Monty reached and took her into his arms. Her sweet little face buried itself into his neck as she sniffled and held on tightly to him.

"I will bring us both back, angel. I promise you that." He called her... _angel._ No one ever called him such a term before, but she was. She was the light to his soul as her mother was. He placed a kiss on her forehead when he let her go.

Finally, his attention was on Bates and the monkey ninjas. None of them would accompany him, and they understood why. Bates helped him strap Xian's weapon to his belt all the while looking his former master in the eyes. "Good luck, milord," he said softly, placing a hand on Monty's shoulder as if it would be the last time. "It has been an honor to watch you grow from the boy you were into the man you are now."

Monty lowered his eyes briefly and then raised them back, nodding. "How could I ever thank you for saving my life?" he murmured.

"You won't ever have to. I'm very proud of you, Monty."

He had to tear his eyes away from the man who raised him to see the smaller figures in black awaiting for their attention.

The monkey ninjas - these wild animals rescued from being poached in Africa so many years ago - were gathered before him, bowing their heads. They served him from beginning to now, never leaving his side - except that one time, but they aided Bates in saving his life. "My monkey minions, you have all served me well," he told them proudly, "and I cannot think of one harsh thing to say - only to fight on this night, and fight to the last breath as a true ninja would. United we stand...divided we fall."

United you stand...divided you fall. He smiled as he never thought he would use those words. And now that he said them, it was time for him and Kim to move now.

The journey through the very same forest was hardly worth being worked up about as it was very much like when they ventured through the forest of Mount Fuji; it was equally stunning in visual appearance and hardly different in terms of plant life, the music of water reaching your ears and calming your senses. But as soon as you passed the lush waterfalls and the bamboo forests, you reached the very same place that Monty's heart grew cold upon recalling.

He had to stop himself as he looked upon the very same low canyon of the mountain - Simia Canyon - where the Yono's resting place resided.

"Bring back the memories?"

 _Giving the monkey demon his hand, feeling the power course through as the seal was signed and delivered into his flesh...the three beings transformed into stone - the relic himself, the rodent, and then HER..._

He tried to close those memories off but found he couldn't. No...

 _The infant was stronger than he anticipated, dodging the Yono's strikes at every turn, then he himself losing consciousness before darkness took him forever..._

NOOO!

And just like that, he was back to the present and nodding harshly if not speaking. Talking made it better, but not now.

He sighed sharply and looked to the north, to the surrounding stone walls...and then landed to the crack in the wall which was the entrance to the burial site. The canyon was within range of Yamanouchi, how ironic. They made it in time, and the time was a quarter to midnight. How time flew so fast, but they'd made it. There was no one else but them, as far as they could tell.

His skin became clammy and just as cold as his heart, the sweat breaking through and making him feel even more frigid, but he forced himself forward. He had to be strong; he was a man, a soldier, and not a scared child carrying a sacred weapon on his belt. "Doing this together?" Kim asked with a slight smile that he returned and nodded.

"I'm ready to kill the beast if it is the last thing I do."

Her smile grew brighter. "That's the attitude I was looking for. The sooner, the better."

 _The sooner, the better -_ the words made him remember the one important thing he knew he needed to tell her now. "My dear, before we proceed, there is something I must tell you before I regret it forever," Monty said, feeling his heartbeat quicken at her eyes shining as if with hope, and for a moment, he felt it inside him...

But then a monstrous quaking of the earth caused them to nearly lose their balances before they grabbed a hold of each other and regained themselves, before a sound from the canyon caught both their attentions that he lost his chance to tell her his feelings and swore. "Come on!" Kim hissed, and together, they took off for the entrance of the canyon, where the VOICE grew louder and louder to a point where the terrible words made themselves recognizable in his ears from that fateful night.

 _"Simian monkay a la ono..."_

He and Kim paused at the top of the hill and overlooked the horrific, hideous sight of the face of the monkey temple that was the Yono, and it had not changed in the slightest. Coming apart but otherwise in clear condition, the intricate details of the devilish eyes and grinning mouth explicitly nightmarish - and there was also the golden ring at the top that Monkey Fist grasped so long ago.

 _"...awaken servant Yono!"_

He roared in rage at the sight of the person in white who had done the summons, but the familiar robed figure had not yet come from his sacred ground; he must be waiting for his time to strike...

...but then the ominous yellow glow formed, and then into the short figure with the monkey head and tail, causing Monty to nearly lose control and close his eyes, drown in the nightmares that plagued him for months if not years. Kim's hand on his urged him to remain calm and composed. "We'll watch and attack when the time is right," she whispered to him, and he had to agree.

As they watched, they saw it was a _Xian_ follower - neither could see the insignia, but who else could it be? They could not see her face yet, but her voice was clear as a crystal as she knelt before the purple-robed monkey deity whose smug wickedness was sated as he had yet another greedy soul to add to his ranks.

"You are willing to follow the dark path of the Yono."

"As soon as we crush the ones who cast you down, and then I offer my services to you, Dark Destroyer."

Kim gasped as she recognized the voice with him. "Kame - that traitor!" she hissed, and he gritted his teeth, lips pulling back to bare them. Little fool...she did not realize what she was paying for this!

Another thought crossed his mind: she had betrayed them all. She purposefully came all the way out here to summon the Yono herself, and what better to do than on his night, just before the witching hour...and the moon above was turning a glowing amber. It would not be long now...

"Kimberly...let's go."

No argument in making your move now, and leaping from their hiding place to land before the duo. Monty Fiske found himself glaring murderously at the fiend he sold himself to - and who was both enraged and pleased to see him. Kame herself was seething when she recognized them, too.

"Kim Stoppable and Monkey Fist."

"That is Lord Monty Fiske to you, you little traitor," he snarled back. "You have no idea what you have just done tonight!"

She laughed coldly and unflinchingly. "On the contrary, I am perfectly rational. My entire life spent guarding the weapon of the one who sent the Dark Yono down forever - and surrounded by friends of the ones who rejected me so my favored cousin could accept the honor! Now I get to see you all fall...especially you," she sneered, narrowing her eyes at him, before her lips pulled into a sinister smile matching the Yono's.

"And what makes it better, you yourself made a similar deal so many years ago before I did tonight."

"So I have," Monty returned, "but I came to correct that error."

The Yono barked with laughter. "You fool, no one escapes the Yono without going through the Yono himself." With that, he drew a weapon from the confides of his garments, and Kim gasped, but he was not moved. Measured to be about eight feet long, the blade was harshly sculpted gold from there to the hilt instead of smooth like the one still strapped to his waist was, but he looked forward to drawing it soon enough. Yono's sword was lethal, yes, but perhaps too blunt.

Monty took three steps forward as he spoke. "Then let us fight, monster -" he challenged, his voice changing to a growl as he reached for the blade of the enemy who defeated him thousands of years ago.

"- and let us _show no mercy!"_

Yono's gasp was of pure horror when he saw what his former plaything had in his hands. "No, it cannot be...!"

"Oh, yes," Monty hissed, admiring the glimmering blade in his hand, seeing the darkening light of the moon - now becoming the orange of a harvest moon, with only one more shade to go - reflecting off the pure steel. "The Blade of the Divine herself - the one who cast you down forever, Dark Destroyer." He looked back up with a malevolent grin he was well aware of on his face.

"And now she blessed me to put you down with it, once and for all."

He had not expected Xian's voice to return to him.

 _Use it, Monty...see what it can do in battle...kill HIM..._

Kill Yono...oh, _yes_...

He had waited so long for the surprise that Lady Amaterasu mentioned, and when he returned his attention to the blade and gave it a light swirl in his hand, he exclaimed when the weight increased as the blade brightened like the moon in its natural silvery white state - and now the blade itself was no longer nine centimeters, but _seven feet long!_

And by this time, the moon overhead had become a vicious blood orange. The blood moon had arisen, and now he would face his demon before him, whilst his beloved beside him and the little traitor herself parted away to watch. Monty snarled as his sharp blue eyes locked with poisonous green-yellow, bringing the now-elongated sword before his face as the deity mimicked with his own rusty weapon.

"I've waited so long for this night, Yono."

 **So, the real battle begins now that we have the beginning out of the way. :D Monty is right, like he said in "A Sitch in Time": SHOW NO MERCY!**

 **Yono's blade was based off of the Inariyama Sword, which is an infamous Japanese weapon currently on display in Saitama Prefecture, having been excavated in 1968. It's so sharp in appearance, harsher than the average sword.**


	25. The Battle Begins

Chapter Twenty-Four

The Battle Begins

Kim could hardly believe what she was seeing, and Kame the traitor beside her could not, either.

To see Monty looking like that - vengeful and impatient - and with the blade now an actual _sword_ as long as hers was, he faced the monkey demon with the blessed weapon of the Divine in his hands. For a moment, he reminded her of the scene in _Mulan_ , when the titular heroine held the blade before her face and turned it to the side so both halves of her face were split, resembling two different parts of herself - the passive, graceful feminine half and the other being the soldier she was molding herself into. Conversion from one person into another.

And Monty was that marvelous combination of the refined explorer and the powerful warrior.

"I have waited forever for this moment," he repeated viciously, his grip tightening around the hilt, "and you won't haunt me again. I repent the mistakes I made that brought me to you."

The monkey fiend laughed. "You are willing to risk my wrath, are you?" he sneered, which Monty returned.

"Oh, I've anticipated. Now, enough chat and we can get this over with."

"As you wish."

The deity's eyes lit up, turning menacingly gold before darkening and becoming the color of the moon overhead - and then he was up in the air before all three of them. For a moment, Kim feared that he would gain the upper hand by turning Monty - _her Monty_ \- to stone again and end it all here and now, but when the lightning beams struck out from his glowing form and made way for the man himself, the sword was raised again immediately and _deflected_ the waves back to their owner, who caught them and absorbed them back into his being with his own sword.

"Impressive," Yono intoned. "Most impressive."

Monty's grin was pure confidence. "Are your cheap light tricks all you can do?" he sneered. "How about being a man like me and fighting with your pathetic excuse of a sword that never matched up to this?" He held up Xian's powerfully glowing blade up for emphasis, having deflected the powerful rays as though it were a lightsaber from _Star Wars._

Kim stepped back, her hand going to her own weapon at her belt, seeing Kame do the same from the corner of her eyes. Letting her guard down in this defector's presence was not an option while they watched the men engage. She wanted to yell out en guard to the simian scum himself - yep, she meant Yono - but that would mean the target would be on her.

Monty's snide taunt made the dark god himself very angry, for he threw his head back and roared to the high heavens.

"YOU DARE TO MOCK ME!"

Before anyone knew what hit them, the Yono's long, blunt sword was thrown forth between him and Monty, striking the earth and causing a crack, which spread the monkey man's way that he had to leap to the other side for safety - and the crack in the earth spread farther only for the tectonic plates to part the canyon like a natural earthquake, causing the mountain itself to rumble but not cause any true damage to the wildlife or the Yamanouchi School which was not that far away.

Kim had fallen backwards in the midst of the cracking of the canyon, seeing how the entrance to this place had become broader and spread farther down, but there was no telling where it ended from where she was...and soon she saw that she had been separated from Monty who had now engaged the Yono in his duel, his sword coming in contact with the monkey demon's, sparks of light emitting from the clashing elements of their weapons. They threw themselves at each other, with the intent of destroying each other, and there was nothing she could do to help him - but there was one thing she could do in the meantime, and the answer lay in front of her.

"I guess I can do his other job for him, Kim Stoppable," Kame seethed, assuming the position. "Unless you are afraid to use swords since you must be used to...hand-to-hand."

She hissed as she copied the stance. "I've never been afraid of anything!"

The other woman laughed harshly. "We shall see about that," she sneered, before they both timed their aims perfectly, pouncing from the ground and sailing in the air to throw their first strikes.

Kame's blow was directed for her face, which Kim dodged and brought her fist to the other woman's abdomen, stunning her and giving herself the opportunity to kick her in the face and send her backwards, near the entrance side they were on - and overlooking the edge of the cliff combined with the chasm made from Yono's blade as well as the safety of the outer canyon. Seeing Yori's cousin go down unleashed the primal side of Kim that reawakened with the fury of the blood moon shining over them, and now it was flaring unnaturally because of the events transpiring beneath its gaze.

Kame regained herself, rubbing her face before leaping to her feet upon seeing her opponent coming, quickly jumping up and slipping behind the rock over her, but Kim followed her, shouting with all her might as her body deftly jumped from rock to rock, smooth and jagged alike.

"How could you have been so stupid to deal with the Yono?!"

She did not see her rival, who was now hidden, but she was prepared - but she did hear her call out angrily. "As if you must ask that foolish question, Stoppable! My cousin got everything whilst I was left with nothing!" Kame returned with such spitting hate that she had to flinch.

"You were a part of the Xian tribe!" Kim yelled back, looking around and trying to see a flash of white anywhere, but nothing. "Did guarding the weapon that cast down an enemy god mean NOTHING to you?!"

Now the flash buzzed before her eyes, as well as silver slashing her way. Her hand moved fast enough to draw her sword from her belt and clashed with the other's - and furious onyx eyes met with blazing emerald. Grunting in outrage, Kim shoved her rival backwards, nearly pushing her off the cliff before the other regained her footing.

"NOTHING?!" Kame raged, bringing her sword back up to assume the parry. "I WANTED TO BE IN THE YAMANOUCHI SCHOOL, YET I GOT TRAPPED WITH SIMPLY WATCHING OVER SOME MYSTIC WEAPON! YOU THINK I WANTED TO SPEND MY LIFE WASTING AND WATCHING OVER THAT PIECE OF STEEL?! ALL MY LIFE, I WAS TOLD WHAT AN HONOR IT WAS TO BECOME A NINJA FROM THAT SCHOOL, YET IT WAS _YORI_ WHO GOT WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN MINE! WHERE IS THE JUSTICE IN THAT?!"

Kim jumped over as the blade swept beneath her, nearly cutting her legs through the bone, before bringing her own down again only to be blocked and sent backwards, her back hitting the rock before she sailed over Kame who came at her. The other woman collided into the rock herself, screaming with outrage and losing hold on her sword, which slid off the edge and disappeared into the chasm below.

Her lungs were on fire, her skin sweating and plastering her hair to her skull, but she wasn't fazed. Exhaling, Kim raised her sword to the other woman, whose fury subsided into smug.

"Justice?" the redhead repeated, hissing through her teeth. "You should have been taught that you can't get everything your way. I'm sure Master Sensei would have taught you that allowing change of any form allows growth and prosperity..."

"So, of course!" Kame erupted, eyes glittering. "Allow what should have been mine to slip through my fingers!"

She sounded so much like... "You know, you sound like Monty used to a long time ago," Kim said softly, the wind picking up, and the moon overhead becoming more maddening. "He wanted power, wanted something of himself, but some things are not meant to be." She searched the face before her, hoping she would have at least gotten through to her - but the hate returned with the vengeance of the other duel going on behind them. If she so much as turned away in the slightest to see how Monty was doing, then Kame would gain the upper hand again.

"I don't live to follow orders. I might have learned to live under them, but I bid my time until I found my way out. Following the Yono's path would lead me to the destiny I always wanted."

It took all of Kim's self-control to not bring her sword tip to slash the traitor's throat. "You're an idiot!" she shouted. "Not only did you damn your own soul, but you don't even know what will become of you if you lose the battle like Monty did many years ago - the monster that nearly destroyed the very school you desired to go to!"

Kame's glittering eyes immediately clouded over with smoke as the moon became a smoldering red, emphasizing her words.

"Oh, speaking of Yamanouchi, Kim Stoppable..."

~o~

The full moon was a bloody shade of red, having been orange several moments ago, peeking down at them through the treetops and casting its menacing glow completely when they all departed the forests of Yamanouchi and finally reached the place where Kim-chan and Lord Fiske were - and what transpired sparked the obvious realization to all of them.

"So it begins," Yori said softly mostly to herself as she stood beside Lady Amaterasu and their combined forces - black and white, nearly forming the yin and yang symbol - behind them. They stood before the forest that shielded their school from distant vision, as they now lined before the barren land that was the Simia Canyon.

A great quake nearly caused them all to fall to their knees before they had the chance to fully reach their destination. The great canyon guarding the Yono himself had parted to let a small but immensely deep crack in the earth to travel down to the land before them, not even touching their part...

...but it was not devoid of anything that was resting within the earth's depths.

The chasm was from hell, and the horrid things that crawled out from either side and assembled crookedly but upright were precisely from that which they came. Yori held her breath but could not look at Amaterasu to see the similar reaction. These armored - decaying steel covered their bodies - monsters were a ferocious combination of human-formed, but they were not human. Their faces and bodily appearances were simian, the glowing red eyes filled with such savagery that they were brought back for only one purpose: to kill all before them and protect their master who had arisen.

There was no question the Yono had been summoned, but it couldn't have been by Fiske again, or Kim for that matter. A cold dread briefly washed over Yori as she tried not to think of her cousin or the other two with her; she must focus on what was before them all.

A tugging on her sleeve forced her to look down. Little Sara - Stoppable-san's young daughter - looked up at her with Rufus-san on her shoulder, the naked mole rat chattering nervously as she was. "Y-Yori," was all she could say. The woman sighed; the child should have been left back at the school, but her mother wanted her better protected with a warrior at her side, and Yori supposed she owed her friend the promise she gave.

"You will be safe," she promised the little girl, drawing her behind her. "Just stay close to me."

On the other side of the child were the group of monkey ninjas, honoring their master's wish to fight in his absence, and they were beyond prepared - but to her knowledge, they had never fought an army of the undead before, so this was a new challenge for them.

A challenge that could NOT be taken so lightly.

She returned her attention towards the Army of the Yono before them all. These simian monsters...they snarled and raised their blunt swords to signal they were ready to fight. Growling through her teeth, Yori drew her sword and raised it, shouting in her native tongue to the others to charge. In response, the rest mimicked her actions. Lady Amaterasu calmly raised both her hands, prepared to use her powers at any cost. These beasts could not harbor the petrifying powers their master carried, but they would be bones and dust as they belonged.

The crack in the earth ended in an arrow-shape, so the Yono's undead simian army charged forth and fused together as one at the same time the combined forces of Yamanouchi and Xian, as well as Monkey Fist's small army of monkey ninjas, flew forth with their swords in the air - and the battle began.

~o~

Just because the wait had been worth it to wield the Divine's sword did not mean he would let his excitement get the best of him. One wrong move and he was done for. He was back to where he started, and even if he did end up in stone once more, he prayed Bates would pick up the pieces as he did before, for Kim and Sara's sakes.

Yono fought like a true warrior, but how could he not? He was a god, and gods were more skilled than the mortals they made. The divine blade in his own hands balanced perfectly and clashed without error against the other bladework, parrying swiftly as flowers in the wind. Growling through his bared teeth, Monty brought his weapon up and down, over the other's and drove him back, dove beneath him for another strike only to slide to the other side - but not on the side Kim was still on, fighting Kame with everything she had.

Didn't an eternal being EVER get tired?

They had been fighting for awhile now, not that Monty was weary to his own bones, but he was infuriated that Yono was not exhausted as he grew to be when the infant defeated him. Perhaps because it was the man who made the bargain with him that he wanted to carry on and ignore his own needs for the time being.

Monty's heart rammed against his chest, but it was the determination that kept him going. The fiend would not defeat him, and he would not show he was weak - and the demon had to speak as though he'd read his mind.

"Don't pretend I cannot read through you, my toy," Yono sneered as he brought his blunt gold sword down on Monty's sleek silver one, the opposite metals slicing and emitting a terrible sound that echoed from the canyon. "Face it; you are a weakling. You will never beat me. Might as well let yourself surrender and be destroyed."

Something inside him exploded at being called weak.

"NEVER!" Monty roared, pulling back and throwing his sword at his enemy again, anticipating the drive back. He jumped back in a great distance as his half-man, half-monkey legs would carry him. He found himself holding onto a part of the canyon wall sticking out, alleviating his position as he faced the monkey god with his raised blade. Snarling, he raised his own and gave it a twirl of the ready for another strike. "Come and get me," he hissed.

From the corner of his eye, Kim was taking damned good care of herself. Dodging Kame and pinning her down, knocking her sword out of her hands forever - it showed she wasn't as rusted as he'd assumed she'd be. It made him smile proudly before the sound of sizzling before him brought him back to attention. Yono had his sword in one hand while he used the other to conjure up a glowing golden ball.

One of his petrifying bolts.

Monty acted on impulse and jumped fast, seeing a way around and flying around that corner so he was on the other side of the canyon entrance - and would have fallen off the cliff if he had not grasped a rock that rested over what looked like a small cave.

A cave with a couple tunnels here and there. He might hide there for a little bit to regain his strength and get back out to finish what he started. Monty Fiske could not remember the last time he was THIS tired. Pushing his body to the final limit, he held the sword in one hand and swung himself into that cave which was small but large enough to hold him in hiding.

The air was claustrophobic and yet allowed enough oxygen for him to breathe. Humidity made his skin moisten and caused his clothing to cling to his body. Looking down, Monty saw how his tunic and trousers were torn in places from being tossed around and being slashed at, but there was very little blood. Sighing, he leaned back against the wall. Yono did not come - yet - even though he knew the deity was still hunting for him.

Why wouldn't the monkey find him soon? Maybe he wasn't as smart as he claimed to be, Monty thought wryly - and then HER voice came to his senses. Or should he say, he _heard_ her voice in the air besides his mind?

 _"The Yono is strong, but he has weaknesses."_

He was careful to keep his voice low lest the Dark Destroyer caught on. "Xian," he breathed, "what weaknesses are you talking about?"

He did not see her face, but he could hear the smile in her voice. _"The heart is the greatest, most important part of the body. Even a god can bear it,"_ Xian spoke, as if inciting a lecture to an adolescent.

Monty gasped. The heart...the Yono had a _heart?_ Of course he did! He might be a god, but everyone - and _everything_ \- possessed one, as she said. He did not need to ask her this; the way to kill the Yono was to drive him through the heart with her sword. Xian must have seen what he was thinking, for she continued.

 _"I must confess, my dear mortal, that I did not kill him five thousand years ago, merely drove him to the earth forever...because I loved him."_

~o~

The Yono and Monty had taken their fight elsewhere, outside the canyon walls that a part of Kim worried for the man whom she knew cared for her as much as he cared for Sara - and in her heart, she felt the same for him - but she would not let her concentration break with the other woman before her, and Kim dropped her sword to the ground for the sake of hand-to-hand she was fond of.

Monty must have seen she hadn't lost her touch after all, and to imagine his smug face. Just as she now saw the dismay on her fallen enemy as Kim pinned Kame down beneath her. If either man or monkey returned, then she hoped that Monty would make it...

"Your monkey lover won't stand a chance," Kame spat at her, both in words and her face, but she was not affected. Kim bared her teeth and snarled back.

"He's more of a man than you think, wretch."

~o~

It would appear the fight was going well - for the moment, Yori thought as she took down the latest undead monkey soldier. As it turned out, the only way to kill these things were by taking off the head, and they turned to dust just like that.

Sara, surprisingly, seemed to have inherited her father's Mystical Monkey Power, and even though she carried no weapons, she jumped over one soldier after the other and delivered swift kicks and punches to stun them only for either Yamanouchi or Xian to deliver the killing blow. The child had more stamina than realized, which amazed Yori to no end.

Even Rufus-san was her help, and he would shout "Booyah!" as his late master, Sara's father, rest him, used to say. She smiled down at them both, then looked up again and brought her sword up to take off the head of the latest Yono warrior.

~o~

His core had been struck like an inferno bursting to life from the very center.

"Y-you," he managed to gasp, holding the sword close to him as it lay resting in his lap, "you - _loved him?_ Oh, Divine Xian, how could you love a monster like the Yono?" He hadn't meant to offend her, but she didn't sound like she had been.

 _"He was not always the demon that history and Scripture know him as today. He was just like me at one time, when the three of us were first created and given our roles for the mortal world - first I was born, and then he before my beloved cousin Han. Han was given the role of the heavens, I to enlighten the teachings of the world, and Yono himself was the unlucky and had to rule the lowest reaches of the earth...yet he declined and tried to find his way amongst the heavens. He and I were mated, as according to the tradition of Izanami and Izanagi themselves long before our time, by circling a pillar created for us, and it was he who spoke first as it was also per custom -"_ Her voice faltered, becoming grief-stricken then.

 _"But alas, his attention shifted to Han, my cousin, who had no desire for him, leaving him enraged and destroying the pillar which should have brought us together. He would have destroyed everything on Earth if I had not intervened. I built my own sword and fought my former lover, yet I could not find it in my heart to kill him. Instead, I cast him down to where he belonged, where he would live for centuries, melancholy and in stone. But before it was done, Han changed him into that of a monkey as punishment for the ugliness that ate him away inside."_

He closed his eyes, the steel of her beloved weapon that defeated her former... _husband_...in combat and chose not to kill him but to have him suffer a fate worse than death. It was what he would safely call a combination of karma and divine punishment, as he once said to himself long ago and while in Yono's hell. He refused to dwell on the reason Yono took perverse pleasure in his methods, but he understood it either way - and he understood how deep the rivalry was between him and Han and this one speaking to him.

"I see," was all he could say, and the goddess understood why he could not say more.

 _"So now you understand. Now you realize why I cannot kill him now."_

"Because you still love him," Monty answered, but his heart harbored no trace of sympathy of the demon who raped him in his realm for seven long years.

A cool and warm feeling - a strange but comforting sensation - overcame his senses, sizzling his flesh and his body's sensitive areas if not to arouse him at this wrong time. _"Yes,"_ Xian breathed, _"but there is no hope to redeem him, as you know. You have your chance he never had. Monty, you must take the sword and go back to finish what you started."_

He did not need to think twice, nor did he have to be told twice. Opening his eyes again, Monty grasped her sword by its handle and swung back outside to meet with Yono once more, and their blades clashed when the monkey god flew his way in perfect timing.

 **In "The Mummy Returns", the Anubis warriors were killed via decapitation, so the battle inspired me for Yamanouchi-Xian clan versus the Yono Army. :) The majority of this climatic battle was pretty much inspired by this movie.**

 **I never thought before that Xian and Yono were once LOVERS, but it made sense in a way, that his attention diverted to her distant cousin, Han no other, and snapped when she rejected him. It made sense enough to add AND explain how and why he wasn't always the monkey he is - and how lonely he was but would never admit to anyone, even Monty. :D**

 **There is an old legend of the mentioned gods Izanagi and Izanami, for the first time they wed, the former who was male and the forefather of all the deities did not speak first as he was supposed to, and as a result, he and his wife bore two deformed children labeled demons and sent away; the ritual was repeated and it was he who spoke first, therefore making the union a success.**

 **Look forward to the next chapter. :D More fighting, more thrills - and shocking surprises.**


	26. A Cry From the Heart

**Oh, God what a nightmare I was living for the last three months. Life was a bitch slap to the face that I NEVER saw coming when things were going so well! :( I owe everyone the explanation.**

 **I thought I would put this up on Sunday July 31st, but before the day was ending, there was an error on my account page - specifically PM with a friend - that occurred a few times I had to log off just to be safe. Not long after, the Internet was out, but here I bring you the next chapter, and the last four chapters in addition. :D Hope the wait was worth it to everyone.**

 **Note that there is a lot of nudity to appear in here, non-sexual though. But it IS there for a couple reasons. I don't usually notify these things in this way, but this time I felt like I should in case anyone got confused by what they saw.**

 **Named after and inspired by a soundtrack from "Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love". One of my Star Trek: DS9 oneshots is named after the same song, too. :) If anyone wants to listen on YouTube, it's very haunting and heartbreaking.**

Chapter Twenty-Five

A Cry From the Heart

The moon was a harsh mistress - but she was also an aid in the darkness, and even though tonight she was the Dark Destroyer's friend, she provided enough light over the combined allies against their enemies which served the simian god himself.

"Take that!" little Sara yelled as she threw a kick to the base of the legs belonging to a warrior coming Yori's way, and Rufus leaped onto his head to deliver a small punch of his own. The Yamanouchi mistress herself swirled and brought down her blade, severing the head from its neck, and the rest of the body was turned immediately to ashes.

She never did have her chance - brief as it was - to see how Fiske's monkeys were faring, and if her numbers were correct, there were no dead...yet. They lost a small handful in Yamanouchi and Xian tribes alike, but they were winning, and she knew it. But, while the tribes dispatched the lackeys, she wondered about what was happening now in the canyon before them. The earth trembled as the dark deity and the monkey man dueled, light flashed, but there was no telling who was winning now.

Back to the monkey ninjas. They bore no blades of their own, but their fists more than made up for it, taking on the fashion similar to Sara-chan, but their hand-to-hand fights were more stylized to match the actual training both tribes carried.

Yori was hardly aware of anything now - not even her own body growing painfully tired, yet she forced herself on - other than that another Yono warrior came her way, teeth baring in a feral snarl as he raised his rusted blade and was just bringing it down...

...only for the Yamanouchi weapon to come up and strike him down, head and body falling and crumbling to join its fallen comrades.

She collapsed to her knees, laying her own sword before herself, her senses taking in the cheers of her allies around her with the knowledge that they had dispatched every last Yono warrior. They had won - but the battle was still far from over.

Sara and Rufus jumped before her and took her into a hug around the neck, making her laugh. "Yori, we did it! That was fun!"

She wanted to tell the child that it had actually been harsh reality that she had helped defeat, but she was too young to understand. She was only five years of age and had been through something no child should ever have endured - but she was strong, like her mother and father. Yori only smiled and returned the embrace, whilst still taking in the cries of victory between her people and Xian's, as well as the triumphantly ooking ninja monkeys - before a great rumble before them all brought them back to the north where another flash of light happened before their eyes.

Monty Fiske and the Yono were still dueling.

As she said, the fight was still far from completed.

"Yori Sensei!" One of her students came up beside her, helping her stand. "The Yono is yet to be defeated. What should we do?"

She found herself looking at the crack in the earth where no warriors returned, but no chances would be taken. These warriors would fight to the last breath - and yet a part of her felt she should now join her friends in the canyon, now that she would call Lord Fiske a friend, even if it risked getting caught once more in the crossfire.

"If any more warriors arise, fight," Yori answered breathlessly, taking the hand of little Sara and Rufus jumping onto her shoulder. "We are going to the canyon."

~o~

The headbutt Kame gave her drove her back, forcing Kim to lose her hold on the other woman, and a kick to her abdomen sent her hitting the earth, but once she regained her foothold, she crouched and leaped to the other side when the traitor came her way. Her pounding head and stomach were the least of her worries.

"You can't always win, Kim Stoppable!" the wretch yelled at her, sounding like Drakken from the future when senior year began. How long ago...

She screamed angrily when she whirled back around and glared savagely. "I always won!" she returned. "Who's to say I won't now?"

The grin on Kame's face was most unpleasant. "Well, now that you asked - who is to say your _monkey man_ will defeat my new master?" she sneered, jerking her head behind her at the scene behind them, when the deadly rivals themselves were still at their ferocious spar. Yono's form in the air while Monty's simian-human strength was at its best. He deflected lightning bolts back to their owner, but even when it did so much, another clash of the swords was in order.

Kim could not help herself as she screamed when he was struck - but not petrified - by another bolt from the simian deity, sending him down and losing hold of his sword, which had slid some feet from him. Now she knew she had to help him, risking a jump over the cliff and gamble her own life if she had to.

"MONTY!" she yelled out to him. If he did not pick that sword back up, then -

His eyes went wide when he looked past her momentarily. "Kimberly!"

She spun back around in time for a punch to be thrown to her face, sure to leave a mark, but Kim recovered quickly and threw one back to Kame's face, this time causing her to lose a tooth which made her smile. Finally, the defector lost a part of herself.

But then another strike caused Kim to spin around, her vision swirling, and for a moment, she thought she was going to pass out...

...before an immense pain in her abdomen began from behind and pierced through her, slicing through flesh, muscle and important organs. Horrified upon looking down and seeing what it was, Kim saw _her own sword_ sticking out through her body and covered deeply with her own blood.

~o~

The next shot from Yono's hands rather than his sword sent Monty sailing in the air and shamefully losing hold on the blessed Divine's weapon - damn it, how could this happen?!

Yono was toying with him now, it seemed, just for the moment and would strike him to stone when the time was right. If only he could do that now to Kame, the little failure she proved to be, but Yono's undivided attention would not be wavered. Monty winced as his bones ached in every system. His tunic had become a tattered mess in the action that he had to shrug it off, uncaring in reality. He would have been lost in the moment if he had not heard _her_ scream out his name.

But when he looked her way, across the fissure between them, she had abandoned Kame for the moment and therefore risked a disadvantage. Monty had to roar her name that her enemy behind her was gaining on her. Yono had paused his attacks to watch the scene himself, obviously amused as the red-haired woman he remembered from only one night was engaged with his newest unfortunate troubled soul.

Kim had received a strike to the face before she regained her control and returned it to Kame in the same place, resulting in perhaps a fractured jaw and a lost tooth which he did see...but the injured woman retaliated and threw the most powerful punch that dazed the woman he loved...and her next actions which she took advantage of while Kim was struggling to return to life set Monty off beyond repair.

"NOOOOOOO!"

Kame took advantage of Kim's dazed state and, with her swift grace and agility, she picked up Kim's fallen sword and drove it into her midsection from behind. Her life's blood glowed an ominous ruby red in the overhead moonlight, dripping off the edge of the blade and hitting the earth. " _NOOOOO!_ " Monty bellowed again, leaping to his feet just as Kame brutally shoved Kim off the sword from behind, sending her onto her front, in fatal agony.

More voices soon filled the air, and all recognizable even before he turned his attention to his left, the direction of the source being the canyon entrance. "Oh, no!" Rufus screeched, being perched on Yori's shoulder, who had her turn with her hands to her cheeks.

"No, Kim-chan!"

But the last one - oh, God, no, it hurt the most. "MOMMY!" Sara wailed as she ducked behind Yori, watching as her mother's body - still alive, however, for now - fell facedown to the earth.

On Monty's part, his heart shattered into millions, or even more, of pieces as the woman he loved - and never got the chance to tell her - lay before them all, mortally wounded because of the woman leering over her with her fallen weapon in hand. "Not so indomitable after all, is she, _Monkey Fist?_ " she taunted him, and for a moment, he was brought back to the moment he stood over Kim's petrified form, regretting it, and now he knew what Ronald felt.

"Kame, you loathsome witch!" he raged. "If I get through to you -!"

Yori interrupted him, leaping into the air and spinning, accompanied by Rufus and Sara, and struck down the cousin she loved once but was abandoned a long time ago - and the impact of her treachery was worse than ever. "Leave this to me, Monty-san!" she yelled, throwing a punch to Kame's face. "She is all mine!"

He snarled and whirled back around to see Yono towering over him with his sword placed back to his belt; what now? He was playing with Monty now with his "cheap" light tricks. If that was what he wanted, then Monty would give it to him. The demon's laugh was victorious - but not for long. While his new plaything was being beaten down by her cousin, the rodent and the child of the woman dying, he had Monty once more in his sights.

"Don't you dare laugh at me," Monty snarled, assuming the stance. "I won't let her die!"

Yono's laughter increased. "Only if you can defeat me..." he challenged, which was more mocking than encouragement after all the time. Then he threw his hand forward and unleashed another force onto Monty, sending him flying around again. He might get killed soon if he did not pick himself up.

Was it his imagination, or was his body getting weaker? He despised the idea, but his body was wearing down - and then his attention fell to the sight of the last of his garments being shredded from being tossed by the force of Yono's attacks. He never truly grasped this, and it had never been a bother for him; it was extremely humiliating to think at a time like this, especially when there were other people on the other side watching him...

...and then his brain flashed with a light bulb.

Standing, Monty gritted his teeth and looked at his enemy square over the hair fallen into his eyes. If this was what he wanted, he would get it. Monty had two very good reasons for this, as he shoved down the last of his torn clothes and tossed them to the side. He stood naked in his glory before the monkey god, whose eyes widened at the sight, baffled and yet amused - but he would NOT get any of this. Monty's first reason to do this in order to regain his upper hand was because it was an extension of his masculinity - and the other reason reflected his spoken words.

"Look upon me, Dark Destroyer," he taunted, spreading his arms on either side of himself. "Look at this body you had long enough - but I am not the weak man I was then!"

Oh, Lord...how had it never felt so good to take full control like he did now? He closed his eyes for a moment, inhaling through his nose as his bare flesh relished being free and in front of eyes - including poor Yori, Sara and Rufus, as well as the little traitor - on him, but he felt alive and wild, like the primates before mankind was born, and showing the deity he had nothing to hide. He would conceal none of his wild side.

Monty pounced and rolled away when the beast fired another shot at him, roaring his thunderous fury. Yes, he was getting closer now, when he saw Xian's blade within reach.

Yono was charging down at him, with his sword withdrawn now as he saw what Monty was up to, but the monkey man was more than ready when the divine steel was in his grasp, fatally close to the edge of the chasm where he would fall to his death from the slightest misstep -

Yori and Sara's screams rang his eardrums: _"NOOOO!"_

He was well aware of his actions, for his feet grasped the ledge of the crack in the earth at the same time he raised the sword whilst Yono raised his high behind him and was about to bring it down...

...only for the blade of his former beloved pierced through his heart.

Finally, at long last! To see the demon ultimately "broken hearted" - how hilarious, he wanted to laugh - on the sword his former wife should have killed him with but never found it in her. This was exactly what Monty Fiske had waited so long for, and he could feel the lingering power of the Yono inside him slowly leaving him, but he would not let his balance be lost and bring them both down to the endless pit beneath them.

Yono's green-yellow eyes were wide with unbridled horror as he looked down and saw his blood - also green-yellow - stain the pure steel of Xian, losing hold on his own weapon, which twinkled once as it vanished to the darkness of the earth. "I told you," Monty growled, "I _won't_ let Kim die because of you! And I am an honorable man now than I was then!"

 _"You have struck his hideous heart - a heart I once loved."_

Between them both and at a safe distance, the celestial figure of the goddess appeared and smiled, even when she beheld the sight of the one she should have turned from his wicked ways - and who returned the gaze with pure contempt.

"You!"

"That is correct: she is the one whose heart you broke - a treachery I would never resort to," Monty said hotly, "and whose honor I had to finish what she should have." His hands were still around the sword's hilt and ached to finish the job, not before he roared one last time.

"Now go to hell - and _take the little traitor with you!"_

Xian's heavenly blade was pushed to the final hilt, and Yono's roars of defeat and death were deafening to his ears, and a powerful burst of energy blinded his vision as well as those around him.

He was not sure what else was happening around him, other than the fact he felt so light he thought time had stopped, and he was floating in space. It was not long before his vision went from vivid to dark within moments, and then that voice returned to him.

 _"You have done well, Monty Fiske."_

He managed to open his eyes and find himself staring up at a night sky - and a MOON. The color was no longer blood-red, but reverted back to its natural silvery white state. The Yono's night had been destroyed as he had been, and his army with him. Monty winced as he sat up and saw that he was still unclothed, bruised and slightly cut, bleeding in those places, but otherwise he was alive and unharmed. The sword lay at his side, with no trace of Yono's blood on the pure steel.

What was more: the crack in the earth had closed back together as if it had never been there.

His hands felt like they were on fire. Monty frowned, bringing them to his face, seeing the seal of the Yono in his flesh, glowing as crystal clear as the moon overhead...until the burning lines began to disappear as if they were never there, either, the fire vanishing and cooling in the aftermath. Monty sighed in relief, the sensation washing over him like a splash of water from any source.

He was free from the Yono's curse.

"Xian," he spoke, looking up and not seeing her, then called again until he got the response.

 _"I am here,"_ she answered, tenderly before becoming solemn. _"But I am not the one you should concern yourself with."_

It took him a split second to realize what - or should he say _who?_ \- she was referring to, and whirled around to see Yori not that far away, with Sara and Rufus over a familiar figure in black, fiery-haired and on the verge of diminishing. He snapped inside - in his heart, most of all. "Kimberly!" he yelled, leaping up and running their way. "Kimberly!"

He knelt by her side, ignoring the looks from Yori and the mole rat - and Sara was trying her hardest not to look at him, but she was too young to understand these things, so she might forget one day - and took his dying beloved into his arms. "No, Kimberly, no!" His mind was screaming the word over and over as he had sworn to Sara he would make sure her mother returned the way he had. A promise he had not been able to keep, but held onto the fragile hope she would at least make it...

Kim's eyes had been closed; now they opened and looked up at him, but the emerald fire was dull to a shade of green matching the dirtiest of moss. Her sun-kissed skin was becoming an unhealthy shade of white, almost like a ghost. She was trying not to cry when she looked up at him, then over to where her little girl, Yori and the naked mole rat were - but Kame had vanished as though into thin air, and he had the slightest idea, but Kim was his top priority - and a tear glimmered as it slipped down her cheek.

"Monty," she whispered, returning her attention back to him. "Kame..."

"She's gone, Kim," Yori spoke, grieving and angered at the same time. "My dear cousin, she betrayed us all - and now look at what she has done to you..." She trailed off, bowing her head.

Kim smiled weakly and tried to reach out, but couldn't. She winced. "Oh, I feel so weak..." she gasped, trembling in Monty's arms. Her little girl rushed to her side.

"Mommy," Sara whimpered, holding her hand. "Don't die, Mommy. Not like Daddy!"

"Yes, please, don't," Monty begged, keeping his hold on her. "Don't leave her - and don't leave ME." He felt his cheeks burn with an onslaught of the flood as his emotions poured out onto her. "You can't go away now, Kimberly. Because I..." He felt his throat constrict when the last words nearly escaped him. Why was he being a fool and afraid to tell her? He should have long before this happened, and now with her dying in his arms, it was now or never.

Kim's lips trembled as she stared up at him. "What, Monty?" she managed, her tremors weakening as her life was slipping from her. There was no time to get her back to Yamanouchi, and even if they did, there would be no way for the healers to perform surgery or even supply powerful herbs to heal her lethal injuries.

"I love you!" he burst out, almost bawling beyond his own self-control. "I love you, Kim Stoppable, that it breaks my heart more than anything! I tried to tell you before all of this, and I want you to know now."

The gazes of the other three remained on him, burning into his body and his soul, but he kept his focus on the woman that he used in the beginning, fought against but eventually came to cherish as a part of himself. He searched her face, trying to find any trace of what he professed to her, and then she finally uttered one word.

"Monty..."

Sadly - more than sad, correction - she never finished her sentence, for her eyelids began to droop, and her beautiful gemstone eyes closed forever as her last breath escaped her pale lips. Kim Possible-Stoppable passed away in Monty Fiske's arms in barely a few more seconds. And in front of her young daughter as well as her loyal little rodent friend and the ninja mistress herself, all three looking on while holding onto each other and fighting their emotions, but the child herself took it that much harder as did the mole rat.

But perhaps not as much as the man who fought for her life.

"No...NO!" Monty wailed as he bowed his head, then threw it back and screamed his heartbreak to the heavens. "Kim...Kimberly...come back..." His cries subsided into hoarse sobs as he pleaded with her to come back to him, to come back to her child and the others who loved her...

"God, don't take her away from me," was all he could get out as he straightened up and held Kim's body closer to himself, resting her limp head against his slowly beating heart. He cursed Kame for doing this to her, his Kim. He squeezed his eyes tightly shut and continued to sob before the voice of Xian herself returned, and a brightness flashed before his closed eyelids. The trio in front of him gasped in wonder at the sight of the goddess herself that Monty now found it inside himself to look upon as he held the corpse of his beloved.

Xian's face was solemn if not as devastated as them all. _"Her loss was not in vain,"_ she said softly, clasping her hands in front of herself, _"and she did pass on knowing that you loved her, Monty."_

His throat hurt, but not as much as his heart and soul. "Damn Kame," he hissed, fighting to keep himself together. "Where is she now?"

 _"Now that Yono has taken his place in the underworld, she will now walk his path,"_ the goddess answered patiently, inclining her head once. _"She will have the destiny she wanted, and she will know what you felt."_ Her smile was brief before it reverted back. _"But now, I am content to focus on you."_ She took a few glides his way before kneeling in front of him.

 _"You can still save her, Monty...but this does not come without a great sacrifice you must make."_

 **This side of the duel now came as a combination of Brandon Fraser vs. the Scorpion King in "The Mummy Returns", as well as Prince Derek vs. the transformed enchanter in the climax of "The Swan Princess" (recognizable quotes, too, from both films).**

 **Having Monty fight Yono nude (like Beowulf against Grendel) was another idea I had planned since the beginning. ;D Just so no one assumes it was random, the reasons were stated clear: it's an extension of his manhood, and also to show Yono he's stronger than he was when he was the monkey god's toy. He had to show that monkey scumbag what he was made of. :D**

 **When I first saw the death of Evy O'Connell in "The Mummy Returns", it impacted me that much I cried up to the time she was brought back to life, so the event inspired me as you saw. :'( So, as you saw between Monty and Xian, we're still far from over, so stay tuned for the next chapter.**


	27. Awakening

**We are SO nearing the finish, but no need to rush. ;) This chapter, named after and inspired by the song by Celtic Woman, is titled so for a reason - or maybe a variety.**

Chapter Twenty-Six

Awakening

 _She had no idea where she was now, only that she was surrounded with white, and hints of blue - as though she was in the sky, and she was in no danger of falling to the earth to her death. She was dead and she knew it, because the last thing she saw was Monty's face as he held her in his arms, and the last thing she heard was that he...he..._

 _He LOVED her._

 _She closed her eyes, forgetting where she was for the moment; she was in heaven, and she knew it. Monty Fiske had confessed his love before she died in his embrace - his naked body, cradling her, in front of her daughter, in front of Yori and poor Rufus, and he didn't care about anything other than her. She had felt his bare skin against hers if not the way it had been between them in the springs earlier that evening, or that night when she was only sixteen years old - he fought the Yono that way, to show he wasn't feeble anymore, and all for her and the others._

"Oh, Monty."

 _There were hardly any words to say at the moment, and there was no one to tell them to. She had no regrets in her life, nothing serious to amend to, except a couple: she never got to directly say good-bye to Sara, to Yori and Rufus, to her parents and the tweebs, Wade...or_ him. _He had poured out what he had kept bottled inside himself for so long as they'd been together, becoming closer and closer, and she barely had time to register it all and fully realize she loved him back. A small part of her was guilty to think that, but not as much as the fact she never got to tell him -_

"KP."

 _She gasped; it couldn't be...! That voice...it was exactly who she thought it was. Turning around, she saw the very face of the man she lost two years ago, the man she grew up with from preschool and married after college - her best friend and the father of their little girl who was now an orphan in a small way. It took her a long moment to find her voice._ "RON!" _She threw herself at him when he was close enough._

 _It felt like him, smelled like him - he was real, even if he wasn't alive as she wasn't, but because they were reunited, he was real to her because she could touch and feel him again. Which meant they would be together for eternity now._

"Ron," _she breathed, running her hands over his face and then up to his unruly blond hair she missed so much._ "I thought I'd never see you again."

 _She closed her eyes when his fingers caressed her back, which was still covered by the black garment of the ninja._ "Same here," _he responded, almost casually as if they had never been parted._ "I've been watching over you and our little girl." _He pressed a tender, innocent kiss to her lips, which became more searing as it had been so long since they had this between them. She thought she'd never share this with her husband again, and now they could pick up where they left off, while watching over their daughter and the other man who would take care of her now, protect her like he promised..._

 _But the kiss was broken off and his finger replaced to trace her bottom lip, his soft brown eyes sad now that it confused her._ "KP...we can't do this now."

"What?" _Her eyes widened._ "But...why? I'm here with you again. My time came to finally be with you, and as much as I want to go back, God won't let me," _she said, holding onto his shoulders, but he shook his head sadly._

"Yes, you're here, and I still love you as I know you still love me. Kame took you away from our baby, from your family, Rufus and everything...but your time isn't now."

 _She gasped and drew back from him, hardly believing what he was saying; at the same time, she knew she was being offered a second chance at life._ "Ron..." _Her voice failed her, and she couldn't even hear her own heart beating. His smile was still sad when he answered her._

"Like I said, Kim, I have been watching over you. Monty Fiske isn't the man I feared and hated with you anymore; he's a better man - and the kind of man you and Sara need now. The two most important women of my life have been alone and mourning for me long enough that I want them both -" _He reached to take both her hands back into his, leaning her way again and drowning her with his chocolate orbs._ "- to be happy again, not wasting the rest of their lives crying over me. You're not going to be with me right now, KP. You have more years ahead of you, and Sara has lost one parent that she does not need to lose the other. All three of us will reunite one day, I promise you that. For now..." _His lips came down to meet with hers once more, deeper and loving her as she remembered, giving her his blessings._

"...you need to go back to our daughter...and to _him."_

 _The next thing she was aware of was that the light around her seemed to brighten until there was nothing left to see, and she no longer felt Ron Stoppable, her husband, best friend and father of her child in her arms as she was being torn away from him one more time..._

~o~

White obscured her vision, which was blurred at the moment. Her senses were slowly coming to, and she heard voices but could not make out what they were saying exactly. Her nerves pricked as they detected the smell of herbs and incense, as well as the feel of silk-chiffon instead of rayon on her flesh.

Opening her eyes wider, she wondered if she was still in heaven - but then Ron's words returned to her.

 _You need to go back to our daughter...and to_ him _._

So, she was alive again, but how did this happen? Was it a revival spell or something else...?

The whiteness she found herself looking up at was a ceiling. To her right was more white, this time being an Asian-style screen door lined with black, and set with native plants and rocks. She had the faintest idea where she was, but she was still feeling pretty heavy with being back into life. She could hear her own heartbeat in her ears, at a steady, normal rhythm. Her blood felt pretty warm. Looking down, she saw that she was in her own kimono given to her by her dear friend upon arrival...but it was not the main attraction to get her attention.

Something was holding her left hand that her fingers closed around unconsciously - and it was _another hand._ Warm skin calloused from years of adventure and action...and her attention jerked to that side to look into a pair of sharp blue eyes, surrounded with reddened skin from obvious tearshed and heartache.

"Kimberly." Monty's voice was hoarse from crying over her. He looked so...different. Of course, his hair was all over the place as she had seen him before, but his skin was so pale combined with the painful redness. His cheeks were slightly puffed, and his lips swollen. He was definitely a whole different Monty than he was before.

She was surprised that she could speak clearly, if low because she felt like a newborn coming into the world. "Monty."

He leaned over and pressed a kiss to her forehead, the senses warm and tingling. "My beloved," he murmured, "I thought I'd lost you forever."

 _My beloved..._

Kim relished the feel of his lips lingering on her skin for a second kiss. There were so many names of endearment that she had been called all her life, but "beloved" was a brand new one so foreign and yet so wonderful at the same time. The last thing she remembered was him telling her he loved her, that he had tried to before the fighting began but he lost the chance. With her bleeding and dying in his arms, he unleashed everything he had in one breath as everything depended on it. She tried to tell him she loved him back, as she now knew she did, but she had been pulled away from him into the next world and back into the arms of her first true love. Who had been watching over her and Sara, broken that they were sad without him and mostly alone, and could not stand it anymore - and watched as his arch-enemy redeemed himself, saw him as the second chance for his family.

Right now, Kim was in a whirl of emotions as she found herself in Monty's arms once more. She was indescribably happy to be alive again, wanted more of his body against her, and to know the Yono was destroyed so they were all safe...

"You lost me for a moment," she whispered, looking into his eyes again, smiling weakly. "You want to know what heaven looks like?"

"Later." His chuckle was somewhat strangled. Something tugged at her mind that he was not like this just because he was happy she was in his arms once again, but she didn't get the chance to ask him because his lips were on hers now.

Kim had to bring her other, free hand up to entangle in his raven locks, caressing him and massaging his scalp, drawing moans from him against her mouth, before she remembered her other hand still in his and disentangled her fingers from his to come and rest her palm over the back of his hand...

 _Wait._

She broke the kiss and looked down, bringing his hand up with hers, gasping softly at what she saw. His hand...she saw no trace of the ebony monkey fur on the back, and the elongated digits were smaller, being a normal human man's appendage. She was both stunned and shocked, now knowing why Monty was so... "What happened?" She looked up at him, seeing his eyes close before lowering his unseeing gaze to the floor as if utterly ashamed.

"A price I paid to save your life."

Kim barely heard herself gasp at the meaning behind the answer. He had...Monty gave up...

He gave up the Mystical Monkey Power - as well as his genetically mutated hands and feet - to _save her._

"It was necessary, painful a sacrifice as it was," he went on, but his tone was devoid of emotion. "I pleaded with Xian to bring you back to me, and she agreed - on one condition. It was either I give up my powers for your life...or I keep the Mystical Monkey Power and let you die."

"Oh, God..." Her voice failed her. Half of her was elated he finally gave it all up - the power, the obsession - just for her, but the other half was more than sorry for him because she saw it in his eyes. He was in immense pain because he'd spent his entire life trying to amount to something. She wrapped her fingers again around that hand, keeping him close to her, but he didn't return the squeeze. "Monty, I'm so sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry over." He sounded like he was trying so hard to be warm and reassuring but was failing at it. He sighed then. "I feel so...vulnerable without it now. So alone, powerless...just a man..."

He was too deep within himself to even look at her. He'd opened his eyes again, but he wouldn't raise them to her. It broke her heart. "Monty, please look at me," she begged, reaching for his face again with her other hand. She would not let his hand go no matter what; she wanted to just be there for him because he had given up one thing he wanted most for her. She was happy he did it for her, but look at what it did to him. He'd also defeated the Yono, but prices were made for victory.

Monty finally raised his gaze to her, devoid of passion and life. The clear blue orbs glazed over but did not let a tear fall. If one did, she would wipe it away for him. "F-forgive me," he said softly. "I have only reunited with you, and yet I speak of losing what I spent my life pursuing."

"Remember what I told you?" Kim asked gently. "And remember what you said, about the mistakes made and how power wasn't everything?" He nodded. "What about now? I died, and you made the bargain with the goddess to bring me back...and you lost your powers in the process." She leaned up and placed a kiss on his forehead. This position, she noted just now, that they wound up in could very much be a universal romantic position from the _Kama Sutra_ , yet she forgot which one. "And tell me something else," she said when she remembered the last words he said to her. "Did you really mean it when you said you...loved me?"

"Every sense of it," he answered without a beat, but he didn't get any further than that before more voices came into the area, and they looked ahead in the direction of the door to the room which she recognized now as the healing room - and to see the small crowd of monkey ninjas along with the other people of their lives, all taking their turns to express their relief that she was alive and well.

"Kim!" Rufus screeched, leaping off Yori's shoulder and pouncing her way across the floor. The woman herself laughed before clapping her hands before herself and bowing forth.

"Kim-chan, we awaited patiently for your arrival. Xian herself was blessed to bring you back to us."

"It feels good to be back, Yori," she answered, laughing when the naked mole rat jumped onto her lap first and then onto her shoulder, nuzzling against her, and she melted into his small warmth.

Bates stepped forth, offering a smile of his own. "Milord was very...broken when we almost lost you," he said, exchanging a glance at his former master, who managed only a half-smile before it reverted back to somber. The ex-valet sighed and lowered his gaze as if unsure what he could do to help him move past the Mystical Monkey Power being taken from him to save the life of the woman he loved.

The monkey ninjas all gave a collective ook at seeing their master so down, which needed to be fixed soon. At the moment, Kim was less concerned for her own well-being and focused on him, but then her attention was diverted from Monty to the other one whose cry of pure joy split the room.

"MOMMY!"

"Sara!" She laughed and cried at the same time when her daughter buzzed and jumped onto her lap, holding onto her and never wanting to let go. Her child would have been orphaned if her daddy in heaven - oh, Ron - had not spoken to his wife and kissed her, gave her his blessing and happiness for their sakes, before allowing her to return to Earth. Her heart clenched if only a little, as it was feeling the release from two years past.

Her daughter was still suffocating her with her embrace when Kim found it in herself to look back at Monty, seeing him smiling a little wider now, but the emptiness of being a mere man once again after so many years was still lingering that she wanted to do something about it.

~o~

When he took her into his arms, he never wanted to let her go, but he had to when her daughter came running her way and didn't want to let go either. She'd lost her father and didn't want to lose her mother as she did several moments ago. Monty had a painful choice to make in that regards when he had to plead with the divine goddess for the life of the woman he loved.

A VERY painful one.

 _You may have freed yourself from the Yono's grasp, but you still have great power within you that you do not have the wisdom to use - a great power that was sealed away for very good reasons. Should you give that power up, you can save her. But if not, then you lose her forever..._

He had almost lost it, wanted to argue with her and plead that there had to be another way, but his heart knew there wasn't. Hadn't his experiences taught him that? He was a free man now, a new man - maybe - and now he was being told to give up the Mystical Monkey Power altogether. He had looked down at Kim's lifeless, peaceful face and felt his tears continue to pour, and a few landed on her face, yet he barely acknowledged it as he struggled with this choice - this _sacrifice_ \- he had to make.

Ultimately, he made the choice, and it was the right one to do...but it also cost a part of himself that he had lived with all his life, fought long and hard and even gave aspects of his old life up for.

But in the end, it brought Kim back to him.

Monty still sat beside her as she and Sara embraced and kissed each other, and found himself looking down at his body covered in a black kimono - but it was his hands. His once beautiful monkey appendages...but now they were the useless human parts he had before DNAmy performed the surgery. To even SEE them, touch them...or what was worse, _Kim_ touched the back of his palm. He winced when she did; it was supposed to be affectionate, but somehow, he felt as he told her: vulnerable.

Weak.

Helpless.

 _Human._

It was beyond difficult to keep his grief in control. He lost the monkey magic, yet he also got the woman most precious to him back. He should be elated completely, and the fact he was _free_.

"I'm free," he breathed, half to himself, and it drew the attention back to him.

"Yes, Monty-san," Yori said, walking over to him and bowing once more. "You are free from the Yono once and for all - and for that, we are calling for a celebration within the hour."

A part of him did not feel like celebrating; he wanted to crawl away and sleep it off, but the infernal puppy dog pout from both mother and daughter beside him made him relent. "Very well."

"Milord." Bates was in front of him within moments, and the monkey ninjas not long after, gathering around their master. "Shall we take you away to refresh before the...festivities begin?"

~o~

Fireworks were shot into the air, sparks of assorted color blanketing the late night sky with a hue of festivity.

The combined allies of Yamanouchi and Xian clans gathered deep in the forest of the mountain of the former's school for the celebration. Bonfires were lit, sake and sushi as well as traditional Japanese cuisine of all kinds were served, and drums were beat along with chanting cries of victory and fun roared to the heavens.

Kim was enjoying tonight as she had changed into another kimono from Yori, who had donned one of her own - this new one was fluttering with bold colors of red, orange, peach, purple and black as well as pops of pink. Yori's was a delicious canvas of purple and magenta florals. Even Sara herself was given a fun miniature form for herself, and it was white with yellow and black flowers. In fact, everyone was out of their ninja garb for the night and in more festive colors - as long as nothing went out of sync and led to inappropriate behavior to affect the morning coming.

Which would lead her to have a great hangover if necessary.

So, she and a handful of Xian women were swirling in the middle of the gathered circle, Sara included and with Rufus prancing in his own freeflow. Even the monkey ninjas got out there and did their own group performance which wasn't as different when they tangoed at Sara's birthday two weeks prior.

Two weeks...wow, how time flew and so much changed.

Whilst her body flowed with the steady upbeat of the drums and with two sakes in her system, Kim thought back to how much her life had drastically altered from the moment the National Museum contacted her - and with Lord Montgomery Fiske returning and assigned with her to "bring" the famed Blade of Xian safely, only for things to turn out to be more than that. The man who took her innocence in younger years, whom she fought against and who threatened everything and everyone she loved - and who Ron hated with a passion as much as the other man did - had come back into her life when she had moved on from his turning to stone, after her revealing their one-night tryst that nearly destroyed her and her boyfriend's relationship.

She had moved on from her affair, eventually, and she and Ron married eventually after college, then Sara was born, only for three years to pass and he sacrificed his life against Professor Dementor's last scheme for those he loved. He died a hero, and yet life didn't seem to move on as much as he would have wanted it to, for his wife at least...until their former enemy and her one-night lover waltzed back in and rekindled what they had into something more, while he slowly began to change from the deranged madman of her youth. They were...falling in love. And he was so fatherly to her daughter, and her daughter adored him back.

And now he won the battle of freeing his soul and redeeming himself in everyone's eyes, friend and foe alike - and he nearly lost _her_ in the process, to which he had to make the greatest sacrifice of all time.

Speaking of which, now she found herself looking his way amongst the crowd. He was dressed in black, still, and while he was smiling, his eyes told another story entirely. He didn't want to be here because he felt so empty inside, felt guilty, and she couldn't take it. When this number was over and her part was finished, she would pull him aside for another piece of her mind.

By the time it was indeed slowing down, Yori and Lady Amaterasu both raised their hands and stepped into the middle of the circle. The one in white herself held the Blade of Xian in both hands, while Yori carried the box it belonged in; something important and memorable was going to happen, and the drumbeats subsided to being barely heard but otherwise present.

"With sacred steel did we win a great battle tonight," the leader of the Divine's devoted intoned, "and now we shall have her great weapon back where it belongs. Yet we would not have wholly diminished the great enemy of our blessed goddess without the help of one man and one woman on this night." She lowered the weapon before herself, and that was the cue of Kim herself and the man himself to step forward and then kneel before the lady in white, who smiled briefly before raising the tip of the blade, now back to its original smaller state.

"The renowned Kim Possible, widow of Ron Stoppable, receives the honor for saving our people and risking her very life in the process," Amaterasu said, lowering the tip of the weapon a few distances from her face, the steel glimmering in the light of the fires around. "She would have died by the hands of one of our own -" Her tone became darker at the mention of the betrayal of Kame, but Kim herself did not look around to see the faces of those who would remember right hand Kame - cousin of Yori - as the defective she was. "- and would not have returned if not for our beloved Xian."

Kim bowed her head, receiving the honors, before it was moved to the man beside her. The man who was once an enemy of both tribes and now their icon.

"But above all, the blessings go to Lord Monty Fiske, the man whose actions for taking the weapon were honorable. He has committed atrocious acts long ago, but has become our savior. He has slain the demonic Yono and brought peace to us all - and he has repented his soul. I thereby dub both he and Stoppable-chan a place in history as the ones who saved our peoples."

The applause to roar was worth to remember by as she and Monty were named honorary heroes on this night, and followed by another round of dancing, sakes and sushi - but Monty continued to stay away from the jovial mood. Enough was enough.

She left the circle and followed him when she caught him sneaking away, as if reading her mind on what she wanted. "Monty!" she called out to him, her lungs on fire even though she hadn't been running. He paused and turned to look her way, but his expression was impassive.

"I am sorry I am very blunt tonight, but even though a great victory was achieved and I feel more alive than I remember..." His clear gaze bore into hers, locking her and drowning her. See, this was the problem: he confessed his love for her, but she had yet to give him her part about seeing her husband in heaven as well as tell him of Ron's blessings for them to explore their newfound relationship, but right now there was the matter of helping him deal with what he'd lost and gained. Monty wasn't completely at peace.

She interrupted him, going up to take his face in both hands. "Monty, I'm sorry, too, for what was taken from you," she rushed, "but can we work this out? Do you remember the saying 'what you lose, you gain'?"

"Yes." His answer was blunt, as he'd stated before, and his expression remained unchanged.

"Then you are not alone! You have me, Sara, Bates, the monkeys - and so many others," Kim went on passionately. "Don't shut me away and drown in yourself. We can work this out. It won't be easy, but now that everything we've been through together is over, we can do so much more now."

Monty watched her for a moment before exhaling, both of his hands reaching up to take hers off either side of his face, but he let her go soon after as if repulsed that he even touched her. It hurt to know that, but she knew why: it was because of his now _human_ hands. "I don't wish to close you off," he said, his voice low and blank, "but I need some time to handle this. I don't wish to take my inner pain out onto you or Sara, or anyone else. I am not intentionally doing this to you."

"Then what do you want to do?" she asked, hurt more than before that he had to tell her all of this now instead of tomorrow. They were supposed to celebrate tonight, see where their relationship would go now, but she knew better than to assume this would be a cake walk for them. "What do you want ME to do?"

"I don't know," he murmured, looking away from her and to the side, at nothing but nature ahead in particular, the call of the wild reaching their senses. "But there is one thing I must do first."

It was then that the anxiety of when she was revealing her biggest secret to Ron returned with the swiftness of a hurricane. "What is it?" she whispered, taking a step back, and her heart dropped to her stomach when he answered her, looking her boldly in the eyes.

"I must return to England."

 **So, the battle won, but Monty is suffering from having his powers taken away from him. He might be free from Yono's curse and his own ambitions, but he feels vulnerable and empty, and even his love for Kim isn't going to be easy to help him. He got her back in his arms, told her he loved her, but now he feels a part of him lost forever.**

 **In case anyone is wondering, Kim WILL tell Monty about her reunion with her husband in heaven, but not right now. Things have gotten all the more delicate. "Would you like to know what heaven looks like?" The answer: "Later." (such a sweet moment like when husband and wife Rick and Evy O'Connell shared at the end of TMR)**

 **It should be obvious that his decision to return to England is to think things over, how his life will turn now that he no longer has Mystical Monkey Power or his monkey appendages; he is just a man now, and feels nothing compared to what he was then. He feels that he doesn't deserve happiness, just wants Kim and Sara to not be burdened with his own self-pity. One hard experience out of the way, and another coming up soon. Bates is gonna step in, in the next chapter coming up. :D Stay tuned.**


	28. Spirits of the Past

**I realize how this chapter was a little longer than usual because of how important it is in the second to last step in Monty's journey. :)**

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Spirits of the Past

The charter touched down at the Middleton airport, but the air was tense as everyone disembarked - but not everyone who was aboard was staying here in the very town landed. He himself was one to count, but he was remaining off-board for the sake of saying good-bye to the ones he loved.

Good-bye for now, at least. He knew he would be back with them, but first there were things to clear up in his homeland, as he told her only last night.

When they touched down in Middleton, night was falling. He had to check out of the lodge and then return to take off for home. The museum would need his report and perhaps the final decision made in that the Blade of Xian was never meant to be taken from its sacred place. They would also need Kim's side of the story, and it was vital that the battle mentioned had to be left out for the sake of avoiding a padded cell. He had already been there and did not want her to be involved in the mess.

When speaking of himself and her, they hadn't spoken much to each other ever since he informed her that he would return to England after she and her daughter were returned to their own hometown. Their tasks were finished, and one more had to be taken care of. Said report, but there was also one more thing that was causing him as much turmoil as losing his strength and powers had been.

He had told Kim he loved her, but because of his fragile wholly human state now, he felt torn apart. He truly wanted her there, wished to give her and her daughter everything he had, but he needed to clear this first on his own - and maybe Bates because the man helped him move on from the burden his father long since placed over him. Monty had to say he had never felt so free and alive - but not completely, as he kept saying to himself.

"Monty, why aren't you coming with us?"

He looked down to see Sara biting her lower lip, eyes watering that it made him melt inside. Sighing, he knelt down before her and took her small hands into his. "I have to return home, my dear. There are some things I must do."

Her lip trembled. "P-promise you will come back?" she begged, and now the tears poured down her cheeks in heavy streams that he found it hard in himself to not break down. Monty bowed his head.

"I promise." Yet something inside him broke down because of obvious reasons. He promised so much to her and nearly broke one important in particular, but her mother was back, was she not? He looked up when he thought of Kim, taking in how she looked at him with the most wounded expression that would make the most hardened human cry...and it was doing precisely so to him.

Sara threw her arms around him and began to sob against his shoulder. "I wish you weren't going away," she whimpered. "I wanted to call you my new daddy."

 _Daddy..._

The word repeated over and over in his mind and would not leave him. This child captured his heart the moment he met her, and she was nothing but honest with him, sharing his love of monkeys and calling him her best friend, knowing how much he cared about both her and her mother...and now she just called him _Daddy._ Monty was aware one hundred percent of the searing flood down his cheeks and could not hold it back anymore. But he did squeeze his eyes closed so he could not look at Kim.

Sara, however, pulled back and gasped, reaching to wipe his tears away, and he let her do it. "Oh, don't cry, Monty," she pleaded. "Mommy said a man shouldn't cry."

He almost laughed when she had to point this out, using what should have been his words. Her mother stifled a giggle of her own. "My dear, th-that is...t-t-too true," he stuttered, the sound coming from his channels combining a laugh and a sob. He had to be going soon, but he wanted to remain here a little longer. "Come here, my precious." He took her into his arms and let her kiss his cheek - and her next words were the ones that no one told him since he was young.

"I love you, Monty."

"I love you, too, Sara," he whispered, finally looking up at the mother herself and seeing no trace of surprise - only that she was fighting a little longer to hold back her emotions. He had never felt so good telling the little girl he loved her as he told her mother. He let her go then and stood, straightening himself out before marching to the woman whom he had been given from the very beginning.

~o~

"You can always stay here, you know," she said even though they both knew the final decision had been made. She was never able to stop him; well, she always did, but he would always get up again. Who was to say she would force him now?

He nodded somberly. "I won't be away for long."

He was true to his word, but it did not make any of this right. He wasn't really running away from them, but it was still the coward's actions. He wasn't going to do anything better by hiding away from them - especially from _her._ It wounded her more than anything that happened in her life, and as much as losing Ron had. But calling him a coward to his face would only make matters worse.

But would things be as worse as she was feeling inside?

Monty was leaning her way, but paused when his face was inches from hers, hesitating as if unsure if a good-bye kiss was a good idea at a time like this. Sniffing, Kim leaned up and placed one on his mouth, gently and coolly. "If you don't keep your word, I'll have to call William myself," she threatened lightly, making him laugh now, even if it was devoid of humor.

"You shall hold me to that, my lady."

He hadn't called her that term in ages, and there was one certain time he had... "I haven't heard that in awhile," she said, repeating it aloud to him, and making him laugh again. It seemed he was slowly getting his dry sense of humor back.

His voice was breathy now. "Because you _are_ my lady and always have been," he said, leaning to give her another kiss, lingering and letting the nerves connect between them before he ended it, and the deep connection was broken as she watched him turn away from her, from Sara and Rufus so he made way for his charter.

Her tears broke through once again. Her emotions had been under control ever since reaching adulthood, but they had gotten more out of reach lately because of _him._ Her insides, namely her heart and throat as well as her brain, throbbed with piercing agony that prevented her from saying the words loud enough to call to him, as she knew she never found it in her to tell him because of the strain between them ever since his announcement of returning overseas. She knew, deep down, that losing his powers was not the only reason of his somber mood...

The words left her with a harsh whisper coupled with the sob that came with.

"I...l-l-love you."

~o~

He avoided Bates and the monkey ninjas when he returned on board, stopping to look back one last time to see Kim's tear-stained face as well as the one of her child's, and the rodent himself was stifling his own flood - and a part of Monty wished he hadn't looked for the sake of the breaking vital organ behind his breastbone.

The old saying "never look back" had never been spoken as truthfully as now.

"Lord Fiske," the lead pilot said when he moved to take his seat that wasn't by a window for once, making him feel relieved as he did not wish to look out and see the town leave his sights, for it would dredge up too much pain. "We are cleared for departure."

"Very good," he grumbled, half paying attention when all he wanted was to just get out of here. The sooner, the better.

Seating himself down, the attendant herself came to him and asked him if he would like any refreshments, to which he dully requested his favorite tea, but upon being placed in front of him, he only stared at it and felt his stomach churn, half from being hungry and thirsty at the same time, yet the other half felt too sick to even drink it. He barely ate on the flight here to Middleton, and under an hour later after bidding his love and her small family farewell, the feeling had not changed.

When he finally reached for the steaming cup, he found himself looking down at his hands, both covered once more with his favorite gloves - only to hide the hideous change in his physique that had once been what he prized most. Kim had seen him cover his hands for the sake of sparing himself the agonizing sight and reminder of what had been taken from him, but she said nothing, yet he saw it in her eyes and did not want to think about what he saw in her expressive pools of emerald.

He shut his eyes again as he wrapped his fingers around the cup, but even that did not erase the lingering memory of her eyes which peered into his soul...

Monty growled under his breath as he looked at his own reflection in the dark amber fluid, seeing the face of the man he wholly was now, once more. To think about it hurt his pride worse than being in Yono's hell now. One psychological trauma led to another - how cruelly ironic. He wanted to take one of his remaining antidepressants, but they were stowed away safely and he had not needed them for the last week. Besides, his stomach might be ridden with nausea while in the air.

However, when he finally touched the burning liquid to his lips, his senses were calmed albeit temporarily that he knew he wanted more - at least until they touched down several hours later.

"Milord?" Bates called to him as soon as they returned to the castle, the monkeys carrying the luggage in for them, but Monty wasn't aware of anything much. Actually, he was but did not care to acknowledge. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Oh, really, is that all you can ask me?" he snapped.

Bates exhaled sharply. Behind them both, the monkey ninjas paused in their activity and watched as the two men engaged. "Lord Fiske, really...you're making a grave error running away from the situation like this."

His temper snapped just like that, and in a much stronger tug to the string. "Oh, and what would you suggest, Bates, hmm?" he sneered, clenching his fists. "Should I simply go and tell her that I feel incompetent and useless, that I do not know if I can prove myself worthy for her?"

As usual, his former valet did not back down, lifting his chin up. "Yes, you can, milord," he answered calmly. "It doesn't matter what she might think. Must I give you yet another talk of the mind as though you were a young boy again?" Monty bristled and straightened himself at being called a child again. He did not need any of this now! But Bates would not let it slide. "She knows you sacrificed a great deal to save her, so she should know that you have done so much to risk it and for her to know that you truly love her." His gray-blue eyes flashed like fire to match the lord's.

He was very aware of everything he had done, very much aware as well of Kim knowing why he did it - but it did nothing to ease the fact he had no idea what he was anymore, and he loathed the lack of sense on what to do at the present. He looked down at the grand carpeting beneath his feet and loosened his fists. "I truly want her more than ever," he confessed, calming down but unable to look at the man who raised him and cherished him like he was his own son, "but I just...need to be alone. I don't know where my path is now. Living in an uncertain future is never my forte, Bates."

The older man sighed. "I know you well enough for that, my lord."

"Too well." With that, Monty turned his back and walked past the monkey ninjas who parted like his personal guards, making way for the corridor that led to the stairs. He was so tired he wanted to just sleep, and given he was no longer hungry after the plane service...and he fell asleep right then and there on his own bed and still in his clothes, but not after he shoved off his coat and shoes to the floor.

He did not dream that night, but when he awoke, it was approaching dawn and he found he could not go back to sleep because the memories of why he returned home hit him with the force of lightning. Tea wouldn't help now, so there was one option.

Monty found himself in the dojo, behind the fireplace and looked about the training grounds for his monkey ninjas, neither of which were present to which he was grateful for. The chime sounded, telling him it was serenity time - but that _was_ why he was here. And if it didn't work...

He sat in the middle of the floor and crossed his legs. He closed his eyes and tried to think of the places his mind could go instead of to Japan, to his empty uncertainty, to HER - and then a voice startled him out of his short-lived reverie.

 _"Your future is not completely mysterious and uneasy, Fiske-san."_

Monty gasped and exclaimed in shock as he recognized - "Sensei, you -"

The old man - or rather, spirit - chuckled as he shimmered silver and crystal clear before him. _"Yes, the relic has returned...but I am here to help you, to guide you towards the path that is the present. Yesterday was history, tomorrow is a mystery - but today is the most precious gift in life to carry,"_ he said with a slight smile that only made him infuriated.

"You're speaking in your senseless riddles yet again," Monty grumbled, but the spirit of Master Sensei was unfazed.

 _"You are regretting everything you have done, every sin you committed in your past - all of which is holding you from seeing what is in front of you. Wholly, that is. You have released the burden, yet you are now on a different path which you are uncertain of and fear making the same mistakes prior. You believe that even now as a mortal man, Kim Stoppable will not love you as she does now."_

Monty lowered his gaze, his heart and mind in turmoil. He could not speak, could not find it in him as true as the words were...

 _"You know he is right...my son."_

He gasped in utter horror now, leaping to his feet and whirling around to see yet another glowing figure - what was going on with seeing SPIRITS?! He could take seeing deities, but of the _DEAD?!_ Yet as he laid his eyes on this one in particular... "Oh...God...you're my..." His voice failed him utterly as the beautiful woman in white, with long raven hair and vivid sapphire eyes smiled at him and nodded once.

 _"Yes, Montgomery...my precious son,"_ Lady Catherine Fiske intoned as sweetly as the first birds of spring. The mother he never knew, the one who gave her life in childbirth for his - she was here. He was finally speaking to her. It was so utterly surreal that he was wondering if he was actually dreaming. He fell to his knees.

"Mother..." was all he could utter, and he bowed his head forth.

A cold, sizzling sensation touched his chin and made him raise his eyes to find themselves staring into his ghostly mother's, and she was still smiling. _"Do not be frightened, son. I have witnessed everything from the time you were born and to now. My heart broke -"_ Now her face fell, but no traces of anger to be expected. _"- when your father, the man I loved and trusted to be the guide you deserved, did not treat you the way he treated me. He plunged into his own darkness and blamed you for my loss, to which he had no right to, as Bates was right to say."_ Now the smile was back.

 _"Everything you did that the world saw as wrong - you did it for yourself, and no matter being sinful, you have become the man your father never was. You far exceeded him, and you became what I always wanted to become if taking a different path from mine. I'm so proud of you, Monty...but there is the matter of the one who loves you."_

"Oh, Mother," he uttered, feeling like a fool, but what could he say when he did not know how to finally talk to the spirit of the woman who had loved him and died for him before he could even walk, talk and become intelligent? "I gave up what I spent my life pursuing, all to save her life..."

 _"And you have done the noblest act. And I understand why you have not proceeded to take her into your arms like your father did for me so long ago - and Kim Stoppable is well-suited for you,"_ Catherine said tenderly, almost as kindly as Xian. Bates had indeed not been lying when he said his mother was as sweet as a rose. _"I know you were befallen the moment you laid your eyes on her, and at the time, I had wished she could have turned you from the path you laid for yourself. But now, you have done so not only for her and yourself, but for her child who sees you as the father she deserves in her life. I can clearly see you would be a good father given the chance. Kimberly will openly welcome you if you simply accept yourself and open your heart."_ She leaned down then, and cool, barely-there lips pressed themselves to his forehead...and in that moment, it was as if everything had changed for him altogether.

Sensei's voice soothed him in addition, but he could not look at the old man's apparition. _"You must do what your heart tells you, Lord Fiske. The one who is now your destiny awaits for you across the ocean. The Mystical Monkey Power gave you so much, but true power comes from your heart - and with that power, you can believe in yourself and do anything. Do you know what you must do now?"_

He stood up and nodded, baring his teeth before tightening his lips together. Yes, he knew what he must do. He was hiding here like a fool instead of owning the situation as he always would. He thought so low of himself just because he was completely human again...and he would never know he still had what little combat strength in his being unless he tested that out, but right now, it was not as important as the one who _was_.

Both spirits looked at him as if reading his mind. The old relic himself smiled and bowed his head. _"May your journey be a blessed one, Lord Fiske,"_ he said before vanishing entirely, leaving him with the one who bore him.

Lady Catherine reached and touched his cheek. _"Have faith, my beloved son,"_ she said, before she, too, was gone and yet he did not feel alone. He felt...he couldn't describe what he was feeling at the moment. He found himself looking up at the ceiling, at the heavens where he knew she had gone with Master Sensei. He breathed through his nose before it escaped his lips.

"Thank you...Mother."

~o~

Two days had passed since Monty left her and Sara, and Kim could not describe the...depression she was feeling in his absence. Monique was back out of town yet again, but this time for a conference in New York, so that left one good friend to talk to while she was at home, and it was Saturday while Sara was at karate, but her daughter seemed more sad than she. Sometimes when she passed by her daughter's room, she'd hear _The Sound of the Sea_ playing and would break down outside Sara's room at the same time her child did, and Rufus with them.

She did not remember feeling like this, but one thing she knew for sure: it was the same as when Ron had died, only Monty hadn't...he just _left_ them both, if not permanently, but still!

"Seriously, Kimmy, this is about Hairy Hands," Shego noted, the younger woman's emotions read very well by the older one, who all the while was stroking her abdomen; she had two months left before this one popped. Already, she and Drakken found out they were having a baby boy, after having three girls, but no decision on a name yet. Maybe Drew, Jr. would be the answer.

Kim exhaled over her coffee. Her old nemesis turned friend knew her maybe too well. How ironic that they'd known each other for years in adversarial terms but changed after the Lowardian invasion. "Yeah, it is," she answered, and so she spilled the beans, telling the green-skinned expectant mother everything that transpired between her and Monty Fiske in the past two weeks - and of course, her reaction to what happened in Japan was expected, hard to believe as it was, but anything could happen. Shego had worked with him on occasion in the past, so not completely disbelieving.

"Well, you know what?" the redhead had to ask when she ended with the man she knew she loved had departed and all because she couldn't tell him she felt the same way for him, and because of his insecurities clouding his judgment. "I can't help it if I feel that my life is being toyed with around as one man I love is gone, and now another is just going away without so much as a farewell? Do you know how that makes me feel?"

"Angry? Cheated?" Despite her sympathy, Shego's eyes glittered with the next bit. "Pissed off?"

"DAMNED STRAIGHT!" Kim burst out, the damn breaking. "AND I CAN'T DECIDE WHO I'M MORE PISSED AT: HIM FOR LEAVING, OR ME BECAUSE I COULD'VE HAD HIM STAY IF I JUST TOLD HIM I LOVED HIM!"

She subsided into sobs at the kitchen table of her home, barely aware that Shego had to stand and come around to pat her on the back, comforting her and trying to assure her everything would work out in the end; they always did, but right now it was hard to believe.

~o~

"Milord?" Bates stood in the doorway of the master's bedroom and saw him _packing._ Lord Fiske was packing his belongings and hadn't even bothered to tell him this before. He was puzzled as to why the man was doing this, but he knew why, deep down: he was intending to return to Middleton. To _Kim._

Monty stopped what he was doing and looked at him with the cheeriest smile he had seen lately. Two days ago, he was on the down low in his emotions that he was unable to hide very well, but now he looked elated. "Bates, you are not my valet anymore," he reminded him. "You can call me just Monty now."

The last time he had called him by his given name was when he was only a young boy. "Monty," he answered, slightly bothered as it had been so many years of serving the Fiske family and informal terms were mildly out of shape, "need I ask why you are packing and haven't told me?"

The smile faded briefly before it returned, and he laughed. "Isn't it obvious? I am going back," he answered proudly.

"You are." It would have been an actual question if it sounded like one to Bates' own ears. "Then it means you are -"

"Going back to Kim, yes," Monty said, clasping his hands in front of him, which Bates noticed were still covered by gloves. His former charge could not stand the sight of his human hands now that he lost them as well as the feet. He shuddered, remembering how disturbing it had been to become involved with Amy Hall's insane procedures, and how beyond wary he had been, but the decision was Monty's alone. Yet now, to see him like this, it melted Bates' heart.

But what had brought him to decide to return to the woman he loved after two days passed? "You're following your heart, Monty," he said, taking a step into the room. He watched as the man let out a breath and sat down on the foot of the bed, looking ahead, though, now. But he was still smiling.

"Yesterday morning," Monty continued as if breathless, "I was in the dojo trying to meditate when I was...visited."

"V-visited?" he repeated, stunned and wondering what on earth...

"My mother and Master Sensei, the one whom I was trained briefly under at Yamanouchi. They enlightened me, blessed me, and encouraged me to never give up on my present and future. I may have lost one thing...but I have something else worth living. I can't keep running forever, Bates; I have to go to her." It was then and there that he finally looked up and smiled genuinely from ear to ear.

"I've been alone long enough, and those days are over for me."

His lungs felt like they were constricting and cutting off oxygen, but this was in an extremely positive way. The boy he raised had grown into a man who thrived on risk and getting what he wanted, suffered consequences for certain actions - but now he had someone whom Bates knew would keep him in line from now on. And for that... "Monty," he said as he walked over and sat down beside him, taking both his gloved hands into his, "I know I have said this before, but I am proud of you. I know your...mother told you so, did she not?"

"She did." The corner of his mouth twitched as if trying not to collapse with his emotions. "And now that I saw her...I wish I had known her in life." As impossible as it was to save her life, Bates' mind added, but it was best left unsaid. Instead, he lowered his gaze to the hands of the man and carefully, pulled down the black cloth and exposed a strong, contoured masculine appendage, but Monty did not look down.

"Monty, don't feel ashamed of this. If you feel as replenished as you described, then allow her to hold these hands and tell you that you are more than just a man to her," Bates urged, and his persistence might have paid off as the lord turned his sharp cerulean gaze down, the irises glowing brighter than before.

~o~

Here he was on his charter and with the monkey ninjas as Bates was remaining home and back with his son's family, since Monty could take care of this on his own. For obvious reasons. Unlike last time when he flew home two days ago, he chose a seat next to a window so he could feel a sense of peace as they neared Middleton, and to see the sea of clouds and its split with the endless blue heavens...and then he would see the town itself as they would near landing. Several hours of flying until then, but he would gladly wait - but perhaps his excitement would lead to impatience.

However, that excitement would turn to anxiety because he could just imagine Kim's reaction when he showed up at her house and he didn't give her a notification about it. But the devious side of him wanted to surprise her and Sara.

Looking down at his hands, he no longer felt disgust at this when he recalled Bates' words: _If you feel as replenished as you described, then allow her to hold these hands and tell you that you are more than just a man to her._

He did not know how to explain this replenished sensation he received from the closure when the spirits of Master Sensei and the mother he never knew visited him. He did not feel the enormous strength he once did; some part of him felt sluggish as though he'd aged in a night. He tried to take to heart the words of Sensei, in which the power came from his heart...but sadly, he could not decipher how to do that. Sometimes the old man did not make sense to him.

Looking at himself in his favorite tea, the one definition he did get was this: Kim would help him get his life back on track, and that was far better than uncertainty and staying in one place. He didn't want to wither and die alone, not anymore.

An ooking got his attention - or should he say, a duo? He raised his eyebrows when he found himself meeting two of his monkeys, and of course the baby which gave away which ones. "Chippy, Lili, you two and the little one are supposed to be with the others," he snapped, but immediately regretted it when their gazes lowered. They were not here to cause him trouble. "Forgive me, I did not mean it. Please, sit with me. I supposed I could use the company."

To be perfectly honest, he had to have enjoyed the once traitorous monkey and his mate and infant's company more than he expected for the next few hours before they landed, in more ways than one. It was better than nothing at all. When the baby, Katara, would grow, she would become a member of the team - but it pained him to know he wouldn't be their trainer to fight anymore. Nevertheless, the monkey ninjas were highly capable of teaching the little one.

Thinking of the one who named the baby also agonized him, but it would go away when he held the child against him and let her call him what she had before he departed: _daddy._

He squeezed his eyes and tried to fight the tears. When he reopened them, Chippy was offering him a tissue from the compartment, and he accepted without a complaint. "Thank you," he said, rubbing his eyes before disposing of it.

Monty was beyond relieved when they finally arrived at their destination, and it was extremely late in the night. Saturday and after midnight, to be exact. He had his time zone set for his stay - that is, if she would let him when he never gave her the heads up that he was returning. Safe to say it was sooner than either of them thought.

He did not bother to check himself and the monkeys back into the lodge, not that he didn't want to waste money because he had it, but because he wanted to pitch camp...and near the Stoppable home, no other.

"It's for the best," he told his monkey ninjas when they made it to the location, and he smiled when he saw all the lights off, telling him that everyone in the house was asleep, and while they got the tent and small fire ready, whilst keeping it a safe distance from the tent itself and the surrounding trees and shrubs, he let the smile become a grin as he worked to plan how to get inside and surprise Kim, then do the same to little Sara in the morning.

But like he said, only if her mother allowed him to stay in her home.

 **A couple chapters left, and this story draws to a grand close. No regrets, and I find it one of the best I have ever done, not to give myself too much credit. :) Special thanks to those who helped me; you all know who you are.**


	29. Be Somebody

**Okay, let's say THIS chapter is longer than normal now. XD**

 **Friend and fellow Monkey Fist fan DraconianKat recommended this awesome song by Thousand Foot Krutch to me that she said reminded her of this couple - and I am glad she did. :D Because I can never get enough of it that it became vital to this chapter as well as its title.**

 **In the beginning of this chapter is an alcoholic drink Kim has to feel only a little better because of what happened during the day and the last couple to pass without her Monty. A Honey Peach Smash which I had at Joe's Crab Shack on my birthday a couple times in the last two years, and it is beyond delicious. :P Yep, I am a legal age if anyone is wondering, over twenty-one and that's all I will say.**

 **"Untamed Heart" is a sad, sweet love film that I had to have it mentioned in here as well as "Romancing the Stone" (I actually have not seen that movie yet, but from what Blue Kitsune told me, it could very much be Kim/Monty :D). And what better than to bring in the first Mummy movie in addition - as well as the second and BEST Indiana Jones movie?**

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Be Somebody

It was Saturday and she just felt like being alone tonight. Earlier in their conversation, Shego had offered to take Sara with her and have her spend the rest of the day and night with her, Drew and the girls; Rufus had gone with them, leaving the mother alone in her own home. It was a strange combination of peaceful and lonely, not that it was ever anything new for her, but it was because of one obvious factor.

She was really hungry by the evening, and didn't make anything fancy other than tearing open a can of bean and bacon soup paired with a Honey Peach Smash as well as a small glass of white wine. Alcohol she needed to just go to sleep at the end of the day, but not because she wanted to drown in alcoholism. She hadn't done this since the three weeks following after Ron died.

Kim inhaled the smell of the exquisite if simple soup, and the fruity beverage was sweet and lightening if the happy mood would be short-lived until she collapsed from drowsiness. Good thing she cleaned up and changed into her short set as she had nothing important to attend to - unless Wade didn't ring her up anytime soon. She just didn't feel like doing anything tomorrow or tonight for that matter.

She plopped before the television and just let the channels change to see if anything good was on, from _Romancing the Stone_ to _Untamed Heart_ \- but romance wasn't what she wanted tonight, and to cry wasn't on her agenda. If she got highly emotional again, she might be forced to take what she had left of her antidepressants especially if the alcohol lingered in her system, which was a minimal risk that she could not chance.

However, _The Mummy_ \- starring Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz, none other - was on, and she settled there just as the opening sequence rolled. A forbidden love between the Pharaoh's mistress and his high priest turned tragic when her future husband found out about their affair, so they killed him just as his bodyguards found her over his corpse while her lover and his priests escaped...but she took her own life to avoid the trial of murder. So, he and his men rescued her preserved corpse and took her into the City of the Dead, attempted to bring her back to life before the Pharaoh's soldiers discovered them, mummified them all alive - but the eventual leading villain himself was condemned to a fate much worse than death.

Kim and Ron had been children when they first saw this, and of course they both had nightmares over the Mummy man just as equal that their parents had been there to supervise. This was one of the few she could enjoy without breaking into tears over her late husband. At the time and up to when she was fourteen, she had a crush on the leading man himself, much to Ron's chagrin and her father's grumblings that she would have no boyfriends until she was married - typical of them both. But the fact she idolized the librarian leading lady herself as well as crushing on the hero himself were not the only reasons she loved this film to this day.

It was the motivation behind the central villain's quest to regenerate himself and then continue to bring back the one he risked everything for.

Imhotep was never the bad guy, just misunderstood. Anck-su-namun herself hadn't been wicked, either, and she and her lover killed her future husband because he found out about their passion. It didn't make it right, but it was understandable - and to bring Kim right to the point:

She and Monty Fiske shared one night like this couple did, and it had been one time. As a woman now, she would have said that night when he would not let her leave, it was called non-consensual in a way, but she gave in willingly because of the infatuation she knew she still had for him despite who and what he was from the man she thought she knew from the Knowing Channel. And to know he felt...that way for her had brought her dream to life, and it had been months before it was her and Ron. She'd betrayed Ron's trust at the time by not telling him till after her lover had been turned to stone, but given their life and their missions together, as well as starting as friends before becoming more, it all proved that he wanted to be with her no matter what. He forgave her for her mistake - at the time - and they managed to make it work in an attempt to let it go, continuing their relationship and having a baby girl before he passed away.

Ron had always been the one to understand and see through people, even if he wasn't always as clear-headed so his judgement was sometimes a little off, yet he managed to keep her well-grounded for some time before he returned, reminding her that he was there and always got her back. He proved it one more time when she died and went to heaven, reuniting with him before he told her that her time was not yet. He had seen everything from here, as they'd been taught from birth about dying and going to another place.

But either way, the most important factor was forgiving someone and learning to let go of the past.

Kim looked down when she was at the part where the heroes returned to Cairo to plan their next move, and saw herself staring once more at her wedding and engagement ring...and decided now was the time to remove them, as she was doing so just now, and this time the pang in her heart leading to anxiety did not occur somehow, yet she knew why. She would not throw this last trace of Ron away, but she had a better idea to still keep him close to her heart as she would move on as he made her promise.

~o~

The stealth of the ninja was legend, as he told her and Ronald once so long ago, and he felt it in his body as he began to make way for the house after midnight, not before turning back to see Chippy, Lili and the others and seeing their thumbs raised up for him, wishing him luck to which he smiled and bowed his head in honor.

So there were limited options to getting into the Stoppable home, and he ultimately settled on one of the back windows before locking it successfully behind him. He hoped he did not trigger an alarm. But even if he did, then she would be the first to catch him red-handed. Better her than the authorities.

He thought he would feel slow and sluggish, like his age would catch up to him now that he no longer had the Mystical Monkey Power, but the strength in his blood, bones and muscles was present that he still had time to use it before his body would proceed to transform in more years to come. With that said, he had enough of the ninja inside of himself to creep through the home of his beloved after midnight.

The shadows guided him, and he stuck to them even though a few night lights in the walls deflected some of them away, but at least they helped him see and maneuver even though a ninja could obtain excellent night vision. He hadn't been around this home long enough to know which room was what. He reached one which had the door opened, remembering it to be Sara's, but she wasn't there, which made him frown, wondering if she could be in her mother's room for the night, even though he himself had never experienced that as a child, yet heard it was common amongst other families.

There was one such door that was closed, and he made sure to be careful when he opened it that it would not creak as to wake the others...

...or should he just say _other?_

Kim was alone, which begged where Sara could be, as well as the rodent Rufus. If she was alone in her own home tonight, then he could not have been blessed with a more perfect timing than this. As he looked her over from his place in the shadows of the corner where the door was, the moonlight from the window streamed in and touched her skin, causing it to shine like porcelain. His heart thumped within his chest as the blood was coursing through his body and heading down south to where his flaccid member was becoming quite erect by just the sight of her blissfully unaware that he was here for the moment...

No, he would not let this happen yet. He was here for one purpose only, and if she would have him then. Licking his lips as he continued to watch, Monty began to strip off his clothing, which weren't his black gi garments, and kept his eyes on Kim's sleeping form, still dwelling on how to wake her - if he wanted to face her wrath, but she wouldn't kill him - and tell her everything from his heart that he would never leave her again, and plead her with everything he had, including his body and his dignity, to take him back.

It appeared that his wish was coming sooner than expected as he heard her moan and stir, warning him she was awaking from her slumber.

~o~

The decision was made: tomorrow morning and no later, as soon as she was awake, she would call Fiske Castle and tell its master that she loved him, if it took every breath in her body to convince him that they could still make their relationship work if only he would allow her in and help him. He might stand on his masculine pride and try to tell her he didn't need help, but she would not let it end there.

But right now, she was getting tired and light-headed from the drinks she had and using the bathroom after that, before washing herself again for safety and going to bed after enjoying _Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom_ \- which was the best out of all of the movies in the series. Now she might as well get a good night's rest tonight, unless Wade beeped her, of course.

To take off her wedding rings felt like achieving the closure she had long wanted, and what she meant by keeping what she had left of Ron close to her heart was this way: the tanzanite necklace from Monty in Africa was laying beside her family picture, and she had been wearing it ever since he returned abroad, but it was little true comfort. Before passing out in bed on her side, she'd placed the engagement ring on one side of the charm and the wedding band on the other. It seemed logical enough, and even better than tossing it away.

However, her restfulness was stricken at some point a few hours later when she felt her body simply coming out of its slumber, but no call to the cleansing room this time. No, it was something else, but not because she had a dream. When Kim opened her eyes, it was barely half past midnight. The moon was pouring in but not blinding her as the sun would. Stretching, she felt her body calm down before alertness lit up in her mind.

Someone else was here.

In her house.

 _In this room._

Instincts snapped, she quickly sat up and reached for the light, then she would leap to her feet in no time -

"The lights are not necessary."

She froze. That voice...oh, no, it couldn't be...but it WAS! "Monty?!"

"None other," came his silken British accent, making her furrow her brows. Despite the fact she was beyond surprised and happy he was here, she wondered why he was here at this time of night, not bothering to call her and notify her, and _had_ to break into her house!

Also: _why_ did he want the lights off? What was he hiding now?

"What are you doing here? I was going to call you in the morning first thing," she said, surprised and not so at the same time. She should have figured he would have done something like this since he was still a master with or without Mystical Monkey Power.

He sighed. "It was necessary for me to come like this without notifying you, Kimberly. If only you will hear me out on what I have to say, inexcusable as it may be."

"How come we are talking in the dark?" she demanded, but she was far from angry with him. "I don't see or hear from you in two days, and you show up, bypassing security at this hour of the night -"

"I have my reasons, and they are just," Monty interrupted, and she could hear the slight agitation. "But before I go on, I noticed Sara was not here." She heard the soft sounds of footsteps, telling her he was moving about, and to one of the sides.

She sat up and wrapped her arms around her raised knees, leaning on them. "She's with Drakken and his family for the night, and Rufus is with her," she answered.

He sounded very relieved, even if he missed seeing her, assuming it was a coincidence that he returned the same day Sara was away for the day and night. "Then I can tell you that this gives me the opportunity so we can be alone together, and for what I can tell you to be for your ears alone." He paused. "I want to believe that you will accept what I am about to tell you."

There was another lapse of silence that irritated her, but she couldn't snap because he had found it in himself to think of her now and come to her at last. Two days was not much, but it felt like forever, and yet while he was here, she couldn't see him and wanted to so bad. She wanted him beside her, holding her and she embracing him back, but it had to wait until she heard what he wanted to tell her.

"Kimberly, I would like to sincerely apologize for departing the way I did. I have been so utterly focused on myself and taking care of what happened that I did not stop to think about how it would affect you - not entirely, at least. I knew I should not have done this, but I feared of what you might think of me now. I've changed; not just physically, but just in everything there is to me, and I didn't know if you would see me in a different light. Now I wish to make amends, if only you will accept me..."

His speech - or should she say, confession - wracked her body if not enough to make her cry, but that did not mean it didn't touch her. He crossed the ocean to come back to her, realizing the mistake he made by leaving her and Sara alone, and saying - in a way - that he was physically a new man and not the one from the mad days. Her near-death experience and his sacrifice of his powers - if not his own life like Ron had done - had broken him down, but something else had to have brought him out of his short-lived withdrawal into himself. He mustered up the courage to overcome his inner turmoil. Her heart lifted.

"You came back to me to tell me all of this," she breathed, but he didn't respond, knowing she had more to say, and she did. "Monty, tell me why you came back here. Tell me the real reason you love me and why you gave up the Mystical Monkey Power for me."

There was another pause, followed by a deep exhale before he responded.

"Because...you and Sara come before anything."

~o~

She was absolutely speechless. With the moonlight shining across her face, knowing he was there even though the shadows shielded him, everything in her eyes he read spoke that she never thought she would hear him say all of this, considering what he gave up for her: the power for her life.

"Monty..." she said finally, but that was as far as she went.

He held his breath as he continued to examine the expression on her face, hoping she would see that he wanted more than anything to be by her side, and the thought of losing her was too much to bear. He would've given anything, including his own life, just so she could remain in this world - his beautiful, strong warrior queen. She was his Monkey Queen in all but name and status, but she was everything and worth the cost of the mystical powers so she could live again.

"You're at a loss for words," he noted, bowing his head even though she could not see him. "You don't have to tell me then."

"No!" Her answer was too quick before she recovered. "No, I have something to say, too. I know the other reason why you left, and it wasn't only because of trading the power for me," she said, her voice cracking a little now. "And it was because of...me."

Monty went rigid and continued to stare at her. "You," he repeated, and it wasn't a question.

"Yes," Kim said breathlessly. "You told me you loved me, but I never told you right back. Years ago before you called for me, I looked at your face and loved how passionate you were about your work. But at the time, I thought it was nothing more than a silly schoolgirl's crush because you were a grown man and I was only sixteen - and when we finally met, it was a dream come true that I couldn't believe it. Yet I couldn't let my silly crush get the best of me because it was business."

He was not sure if his heart had stopped beating, or if he was having an out-of-body experience. She'd always had...feelings for him, too, even long before he took her into his bed, and it was long before they met. Long before he deceived her, hurt her and everything to follow. Regret overcame him for his actions and his motives. She'd had a good heart that he had taken advantage of for himself. "Did it...change when you learned what I really was?" he dared to ask, holding his being together and placing a hand over his chest, feeling his heart beating at its normal pace. His bare flesh was getting goosebumps.

"Yeah, but it was so hard," she answered, "but it wasn't just because of our differences, and the fact you tricked me in the start." He expected to hear an accusation like she used to, but no such luck. "And then that night between us...I let myself be taken by the man who was in my dreams all this time." Her breaths were shallow as she recalled the memory that she long locked to the back of her subconscious as to not let them interfere with her future, but the barriers were long gone so she could let them free. Something inside him further tore with knowing she always felt for him, desired him, long before he made the first move. He had his part to tell her in which he prepared everything for her arrival, but he would wait.

"It was also just before I left that I realized what a man you were beneath the monkey. So, Monty, no matter half man or half monkey - completely man now, in your case, even - you're still the same Monty Fiske that I fell for. I think I loved you long enough before I wholly realized it."

He gasped, and he couldn't hold it back. She...she...she saw the human side of him from start to now, even when it seemed he wasn't a man anymore, but a mutant of a monkey. She always had, and it made absolute sense: she was the only one he would ever have, and the one he waited his entire life for. Her heart had healed because of him, and she needed him in her life no matter what as she knew he needed her - but that begged one more question.

"Kimberly," he said, "what about...Ronald?"

She sat upright and more rigidly before she relaxed. "I never told you this," she said slowly after a moment passed, "but when I was in heaven, I saw him."

The idea of heaven existing was not scoffed at, so that was what he didn't do. It also did not surprise him that she and her dead spouse and father of her child reunited. "A warm, loving welcome, I imagine," he said, bringing his other hand up, folding his arms against his chest as he watched her push aside the covers and throw her legs over the edge of the bed, looking ahead at the window and away from him.

"He knew everything, watched you fight to redeem yourself, and he forgave you," she said. He sighed; if he had the opportunity, why didn't Ron Stoppable appear before him and tell him so himself, at the same time Sensei and his mother had? Or better yet, maybe it was for the best and did not matter. "He couldn't stand Sara and me missing him, and wanted us happy...so he said you were the one for us."

So, it wasn't permission, per se, but the fact Ronald wanted his family to move on and be happy - and surprisingly, urged Monty Fiske, his worst enemy turned hero, to be the one to take care of his wife and daughter. Monty closed his eyes and was tempted to whisper his thanks.

"So, it is done then," he said knowingly. "He doesn't spite me any longer, and he wants us together - but not for his sake."

"That's right," Kim agreed. "It has to be for us both. See, Monty? We can be together now."

~o~

"It would appear so, with no more obstacles holding us back. How can I ever thank Ronald for this?"

His response to her telling him about her husband's blessings, briefly but clearly, was no longer surprising. There was no need to elaborate on understanding; there was enough of that between them tonight as it was. It was barely one in the morning, but it was just the two of them. And here the barriers fell, no secrets left to hide - but maybe one or two more, and something told her it would become more than just talking now.

If it was the case, then she was eager to receive him as she was positive he was ready for her.

"He would not just say you're welcome - in fact, he couldn't think of a proper welcome to you," she answered, looking in his direction, where he had not budged from the shadows. However, she heard rustling, telling her that he was moving - and it was coming her way until she saw his outlined silhouette before her, kneeling on the floor in front of her side of the bed.

What he did next stunned her; she felt his hand come and take one of her own from the bed, then the sizzling feel of his lips was placed over the back of that hand of hers, lingering for a good amount of time to leave an effect on her. She closed her eyes as her heartbeat began to race, like it used to. She held her breath and waited for whatever would happen next. This simple action was a traditional courting gesture, but it was real and sincere at the same time. He held her hand for a few longer moments that felt like an eternity before he spoke again, huskier than before.

"Kim, I believe the light is in order."

Swallowing, Kim let him hold her hand as she used her free one to reach over and turn the lamp on, but when she turned to look back at his kneeling figure, she sucked in a breath when she saw his nude form.

"Monty -"

"Yes," he breathed, bowing his head. "Look upon me as a man, if not completely the one you recall."

When she first saw his natural state, she thought she looked at a god in a way, combined with man and monkey in an oddly erotic way, searing her flesh and blood until she thought she was going to burn alive. Now, twelve years later, her cheeks flushed as her stomach pooled at the end with liquid heat when that same body knelt in front of her. From the lean, firm shoulders to the pectoral muscles, six-pack and carved limbs, but his manhood was obscured for the moment, and she would see that part soon. The way she saw him now was different from when she saw him when she was sixteen - he was a perfectly normal, vulnerable human being in his natural state. This was exactly what she believed him to be, deep down, and not just from having her first climax with him before she left him...and now she was opening her full heart to him and accepting him. She knew what was going to happen now, and welcomed it.

He knelt before her as though bowing to a goddess, the one he had fallen for and hoped she could accept his apology for leaving her. He displayed how isolated he felt, and concerned that she would not feel the same for him as he once was, wanted more than ever for her to accept him as he was now.

Monty's naked beauty was not the only thing that raptured her; it was also the sight of his hands and feet without the appearance of a monkey's appendages - the signs that truly made him human. He was still looking down and avoiding direct eye contact with her, as if knowing what she was thinking. Her heart singing more loudly in her own ears, Kim slid off the bed and knelt before him, taking his face in her hands and making him look her in the eyes.

"Let me show you how much I love you." With that, she took that hand which held her and brought it to hold over her heart, placing both hands over it to keep it together. He looked at her in shock before it softened, and he relaxed a little.

He pulled his hand from her thundering chest and brought her to him, wrapping his strong arms around her. "Kimberly, will you...stay with me and be mine? For too long have I waited for you. You have been a part of me since that night when neither of us never realized it then." He took a small, shaky breath before it steadied. "Since then, you've burned through me like fire; you are the one besides Bates who has seen me inside and out."

She pressed a kiss on his bare shoulder before resting her cheek against it, turning her face in the other direction, urging him to continue by caressing his firm back with both hands. He sighed.

"I was a boy once, and it seemed he was still inside of me, hidden deep down until he had to be brought out - and who other than you and that child who embraced me as the father she deserves? The both of you have made me into who I am now; it took me long enough to be on the correct path again. The old Lord Fiske I was had been lost when I forgot about the world around me as I delved into what I believed was my destiny...and I would have been lost forever if you hadn't taken the time to pull me back."

In every sense, they were transparent as glass and could shatter just as easily if no care was taken. It was just how he was, and she never doubted it for a moment. She held onto him maybe even tighter than he held her, and as wonderful as it was, she had to let go because of the fact his naked body against her still-clothed one sparked an all-too-familiar reaction that he sensed along with her. Kim gently released him and then stood up, reached down to take both his hands into hers and guided them both back to the side of the bed - and that was when she saw the rest of his mesmerizing form. Taking her sweet time, she caressed a shoulder and then brought it down to trace a pectoral, thumbed the nipple there and drawing another sigh from him combined with a rumble in his throat at his body's reactions. The planes of his stomach were smooth and layered, and ultimately reached the one place where he was most desiring of her and was most important.

Kim didn't touch him right there immediately, not that she didn't want to, but her fingers ghosted around over the hip and behind, briefly caressing the buttock before coming back around. Monty had closed his eyes, feeling instead of seeing what she was doing. The raven curls were a combination of silky and edgy, naturally groomed around the perfect six-inch length that was his manhood. Looking back at his face, his lips had parted to let in exhales increasing in an erratic rhythm as her fingertips gently grazed over his burning, intimate skin.

"Kimberly...I must confess once more before I allow myself to be linked with you the way we were before."

She hadn't expected him to speak when she was giving him pleasure just to show him that she loved him for the way he was now, and some part of her wanted to wait until they were over, but it seemed he was too impatient.

~o~

He felt like he was in heaven, as she touched him in a way that he never thought he would feel, and there were absolutely no words to describe this paradise. His heart was out of control, his blood boiling beyond pressure point, and his flesh on the verge of melting as the apex of his thighs was held in a small but strong hand. The body's natural chemical reactions were not solely biological. He was looking forward to being between her legs again, to release his seed into her - but not for purely those reasons as it had been years ago; it was because he loved her and missed her, waited so long for her.

Yet something inside him broke and decided he needed to tell her what he never did, everything he planned and prepared for her arrival.

"What is it?" she asked, ceasing her ministrations on his proud place, the disappointment arising before he crushed it down and looked at her in the eyes as he told her everything without a moment's hesitation.

"Kimberly, my love, everything I did for you when I made the decision to make you my Monkey Queen, it was painstaking research and time..."

The moment he had acquired the necklace, he had thought of her, with her flashing green eyes and her glorious red mane that framed a slender, pale neck made to be draped with precious metal and gems. She had to understand the time and effort he had invested in his bedchamber, acquiring the finest of silks and linens. He had diverted his monkeys from vital training, in order to clean the entire castle spotless and to make sure that the illumination of both the great hall and the bedchamber would be perfect, mysterious and sensual. All that effort for her - his Monkey Queen.

Then there were the efforts expended upon his own person. He knew that he was an attractive man, but she was worth the utmost effort to impress. While the British Government was willing to overlook certain activities, as long as they were not done on Empire soil, he was still a criminal, which made it difficult to obtain certain services. Still, he had hired the finest tailors available who had brought in the finest materials. When they were finished, he had to admit that they had done an excellent job, but that was only the beginning of his efforts.

He managed to track down additional help: first was a man who produced several fragrances tailored for his specific body chemistry - fragrances designed to tantalize a woman's senses. Stylists had worked on his hair, enhancing his rugged good looks. He knew that she might be reluctant, so he spent weeks on aspects of martial arts that would allow him to restrain her without injuring her. Finally, in terms of the erotica, his studies of the _Kama Sutra_ and the _Perfumed Garden_ were going to pay off; while he was determined that she would be his first lover - his only lover - that did not prevent him from obtaining such instructions necessary to ensure that he was able to provide her with the pleasures she was entitled.

The one night he had with her, although far too short, was the greatest night of his life: seeing his efforts come to fruition as her initial reluctance was overwhelmed by desire; the reactions her body had to his careful ministrations vindicated all of the efforts he had invested, and the sweet release her body afforded him had been the very definition of bliss!

Yet she had fled before the morning sun. Even so, after his initial burst of anger, he had maintained the accommodations he had prepared for her, hoping she would return to him. If only she had stayed, glimpsed everything he secretly prepared all for her regular stays on a certain schedule for her accommodations, she would have found her gifts luxurious beyond what she could imagine - a wardrobe any woman would have dreamed of and others that would have taken her breath away.

 _No one will ever love you..._ His father's voice had been wrong. He had the most desirable woman in his bedchamber, and he sneered back at his father's shadow.

As he entered her, with her willing, eager and arching her body to meet his, a part of his mind laughed at his father's shadow, and that shadow was silent. As he thrust into her, her hips raising to meet his every move and her head thrown back in ecstasy, his father's shadow had no power to speak to him. When he released his seed into her and she screamed her passion, some tiny part of his mind sneered again at his father's shadow, which had been silenced for all time to come.

Montgomery Fiske had seldom known a full night of sleep, due to his father's taunting, angry memory constantly mocking and belittling him. Yet that night, after claiming his queen, he slept long, deep and peacefully. They had spoke of this being for only the one night, and that it wouldn't change anything between them, but he knew they were false words; spoken before the passion had been unleashed. The lovemaking had filled his empty soul; it MUST have been as meaningful to her. She would be waiting for him when he awoke.

But he had awoken to find her gone and in her place, his father's shadow had returned; worse than ever. Worse than that, SHE had stood before him twelve years later, stating that that night, with the passion she had voiced and experienced, was a _MISTAKE!_

Yet no more, not now - and not ever again. Here he sat before her, and it washed away everything of the past as meaningless. In replacement of a single night, he would have her much longer than that from now on.

"You did all of that...for me."

He nodded, gazing into the depths of her emerald irises, like he was gazing across the terrains of Ireland. "All my efforts and expenditures were done for your sake," he breathed.

His gaze lowered over her body now that his own was moist with perspiration with need, his loins tightening harder. "And now may I do something for you?" he asked, reaching for the end of her camisole and tugging, looking at her and awaiting her permission. When she nodded, she raised her arms as he lifted the garment from her body and pulled it over her head, tossing it to the floor. She finished the job by removing her shorts and throwing them in the same spot.

She was just as beautiful as he remembered, with fuller curves, but because it was mostly dark, he hadn't fully seen her abdomen in its new state, which hadn't quite returned to the firm flatness before she had gotten pregnant with Sara; the lines were plainly visible with some fat in places. She knew he was looking there and immediately brought her hands over her stomach in an attempt to cover that part. Monty chuckled as he reached to take both her hands away from herself.

"This is nothing to be ashamed of, my love."

"I wasn't able to return to my normal self after Sara was born," she said softly.

Monty leaned forward and pressed a chaste kiss to her forehead. "No one is perfect," he reminded her, and she only nodded her agreement before returning the kiss, this time to his lips - and that was when his engine revved and he was the one to deepen it, the pressure applied sparking their nerves.

She was laying on her back like she used to, and his body covered hers as he enveloped her lips with his, gently nibbling the bottom lip because he knew this would add more oil to the fires of her body. His own was catching as much. One of his legs helped part hers so he slid in between like he swore he would, that he would assume the lead role not just because he was the dominant male - but because her words reflected not only what they no longer denied between themselves, but because if her late husband did this to pleasure her due to his unconditional love for her, then Monty would remedy that and carry that torch for them both.

"Kimberly," he murmured, breaking the latest kiss apart. Her hands clutched at his biceps as she looked at him with flushed cheeks and swollen lips, the intoxicating sight taking him back to the innocent teenage heroine she used to be. "I promise I won't do this for myself...but for you."

"You don't have to just because of me. Do it for the both of us."

He smiled. "That is good enough for me, beloved." He reached up then and turned the light off, knowing that with what the moonlight could provide, their senses and their flesh would more than make up without sight. Nothing better than just touching and interlocking...

Leaning down because he remembered too well, as well as knowing this part of her, he kissed the clavicle of a breast and then let his lips caress the skin before he took a rosebud of a nipple into his mouth, enticing her and softening her barriers, her body writhing beneath him like she used to, her belly tightening as one hand caressed it while the other moved to squeeze her hip and cause another jolt. Monty unlatched his mouth and moved to the other breast before ceasing and elevating himself to glimpse the outlines of her state of bliss. This goddess...siren...vixen...tigress...there were not enough words to describe this woman who made him feel like the man he was. This intoxicating, loving creature helped him free his soul, helped him find his inner child and the man who would now do good for the world he was beginning to trust. By allowing himself to let her young child in - a child she bore with his enemy of the Mystical Monkey Power - as well as herself, he found his former self buried deep down due to a deep-rooted, lifelong obsession brought on by a father who never loved him. He sought redemption by fighting the simian demon whom he gave his soul to, then nearly lost the woman who took his pain away...and so gave up the desire for power to save her life.

And now, here he was, with her in his embrace and bathed in darkness and moonlight - and now they were together the way they were before. They belonged to each other now.

Her hands let go of his upper arms, moving to grasp his shoulders now as their kiss was deepened, this time being her part. She moved her palms further north and caressed the sides of his face, tracing the sideburns before woving through his hair, massaging his scalp and emitting tingles of pleasure down his spine. His mouth still melding with hers, desiring more contact and unable to let go, his tongue slipped in and twisted around with hers to obtain more sensation. Then their lungs alerted them to the need to breathe, so they broke it off so she could pant.

"Monty, I want you."

He raised an eyebrow. "To do what exactly, Kimberly?" he purred.

"Make love to me."

"As you wish." His mouth twitched with a tooth-baring grin.

He had the utmost brilliant idea now to please her in a memorable manner tonight, even though he assumed she might have had this before from her husband, but it did not matter because touching her with everything he had was what mattered most. Monty released her, trailing kisses between her breasts and over her ridged stomach until he reached her lowermost point. His mouth was watering as much as she was right here, hot and seeping like a ripe peach in the sun beneath fiery auburn curls.

The cry and the writhe of her body was precisely what he wanted to hear and feel from her. Oh, _yes_...it was coming now...nothing like pure love and care had ever tasted as sweet as this...

~o~

Oh, God, when he began to kiss and lick the inside of her thighs...then he reached that spot which no man had touched the way he was doing now in two years...she had to say the long, aching absence had been worth the wait, and much better than her own hand.

"Ungh!" That word she had not used since she was younger slipped in spite of herself. Her body was working against her now because it answered to no one but him now. He chuckled against her entrance, the nerves jolting inside. Deep and sinful, but so right. This wasn't wrong anymore, but this took her back to that night...

Monty rumbled against her, his salacious mouth urging her to let go and give in to him again, and she did. She lost all of her senses, all doubts that used to be...and there was nothing but him and his thick, slippery tongue between canines and firm lips. Licking at her, tasting her, nuzzling her, and LOVING every inch of her. He had followed through with her being his first love and his only love, without replacing the one who had been her first real one if not her first in bed - and he was worth the wait.

Wonderful molten lava was what her blood had turned into, and her heart had to be the core releasing it throughout the land that was her body. She was unable to speak, just moan and exclaim when he struck a sweet point, but that wasn't completely the same as -

He stopped right away, drawing from her and licking his lips. She barely saw his eyes well, but know that they were dark like they were the first time. The past combined with present terms - not so bad to think about. It wasn't long before his body was back in line with hers, but he paused when he was aligning his hips with hers, as if she was the sixteen-year-old maiden again. What an old-fashioned way to put it, in his mind. She laughed lightly and held onto his shoulders again.

"I'm not a virgin anymore, Monty," Kim reminded him. "You don't have to be that gentle with me."

He sounded very confident and so seductively masculine at the same time. "I'm just ensuring that this is the best experience for us - and that it was worth waiting for." His lips pressed themselves against hers as the final reassurance.

Kim shuddered audibly and bodily, her back arching as the action followed through with his words. His sex slid through her pubic hair, rubbing against the sensitive pearl that hadn't been touched in a long time - if you could say two years was long enough, but the feeling was. "Oh, God."

"It's been so long," he agreed as he adjusted himself to the gentle clench of her muscles. He grunted a little before easing, letting her loosen and acclimate to him inside her. He wasted no time in thrusting, beginning slow and gentle at first before picking up as if their very lives depended on it.

The emptiness of their bodies was filled as they joined together for the first time in forever - in heart and soul entwined.

"I...missed you..." she managed, clutching at his back as her being was awashed with love and desire in one, not just the latter. Back then she would have felt the same had the circumstances been different, but things always changed as time went on. When her hair was longer, her body more fit, and she was much younger and more naïve - but not anymore. She was older, much wiser, and this man who ravished her now as he did once before was the one she would spend the rest of her life with, have a second chance to live with, and he was going to serve as the male role model that Sara needed.

He grunted following a couple more thrusts. "As have I."

Every long moment to pass, and with each extended, deep thrust, he washed in and out with her in a melody that could match _The Sound of the Sea_ or even any exotic drumbeat invisible in the air other than their senses. They both cried out release by the time the clock had struck one-thirty in the morning, in perfect timing and harmony, white-hot fire before their eyes as well as in their bodies. Her insides closed down on his manhood like a Venus fly trap as her womb welcomed his seed.

Monty withdrew himself from her and laid down beside her, looking up at the ceiling, his strong chest rising up and down with each breath. Feeling slightly warm with perspiration, Kim threw the covers down and turned to look at him, admiring how his skin glistened in the moonlight. If this were a romance novel, she would still be throbbing below her waist like she had been moments ago.

They held onto each other that night, her laying on her side facing away, while he lay behind her and held onto her. Now she crawled up to him and rested against his body, wrapping her arm around him, then leaned against his chest to listen to his heart returning to its normal rhythm. His arms enveloped her in return, securing her and never wanting to let her go like last time. Not that she intended it to happen again. _Ever._

"I'm not going to leave you again," she promised, looking at him and seeing him smile.

"Nor will I," he swore, accepting the kiss she leaned up to give. "I let you go once before, and I won't let it repeat again - and I won't ever abandon you in cowardice from now on...my beloved." Her heart was touched by the endearing name that became for her, and in return, she breathed her own to him.

"My gallant darling." Because that was what he was: a knight and a hero, one of the strongest men she'd ever known. He looked just as moved, and the kiss became even more if not bordering on igniting the flames, but to emphasize their affirmation.

They fell asleep in this embrace that night, blanketed by the moon and with each other's love.

 **Monty first approaching Kim in the shadows was very much like "Phantom of the Opera" - and to come onto her the way he did, naked, showed how human he was and how much he needed her. And when he told her that she and Sara came before anything in his life now was inspired by the final scene in an episode of Star Trek: Deep Space 9, "Change of Heart". The fact that the man himself put his wife (rather, lover and her daughter in this case) before his career and anything else he cared about, just to save her life when she was on the verge of death. Much like he had for Kim not that long ago. :D**

 **So, we finally explore more of Monty planning the events of "The Deadly Embrace of Desire". This came from a conversation with friend and fellow writer daccu65 (who wrote a badass inspirational story called "Tumultuous Harmony" based off that fic and its sequel, "The Garden of Serenity", both which precede this one), and it was really fun to do that. Because then you see the depth of Monty's feelings for her and why he thought he could find a woman to fill the hole in his heart - and proved his father wrong in the end.**

 **Kim calling him her "gallant darling" was inspired by a song by Orla Fallon, "Mo Ghile Mear" (which translates to "My Gallant Darling"), and it happens to be a traditional Celtic love song. :D**

 **When I wrote him pouring his love for her, just the fact that the lyrics of the song made it even more meaningful. I'm crying still right now. So, the next chapter will be the grand finale. :D It's not the first time saying this, but I enjoyed every minute and day doing this story, like my previous ones, and I thank all my friends and reviewers for being help when I needed it.**


	30. Epilogue: You'll Be in My Heart

**I swear to God I have gone past the boundaries with this chapter in terms of the length, pushing the limit of the previous. XD Someone shoot me. I have NEVER done a chapter this long, except a previous oneshot fic.**

 **"Tarzan" and Phil Collins - it doesn't get any better to end a story with them included. :D**

 **"Great men do not seek power; they have power thrust upon them." Words by Worf to General Martok in Star Trek: Deep Space 9's season 7 episode "Tacking into the Wind" - and a lesson Monty learned the hard way.**

Epilogue

You'll Be in My Heart

Morning broke on him and Kimberly, and he opened his eyes to feeling tranquility that he knew would last for as long as they would make it. Just for a moment it took him to remember where he was, for he registered how warm and comfortable he felt, and another body matching his temperature. His bare form cuddling with Kim's...who could ask for anything better than that?

He wondered what time it was before he decided he didn't care. It had to be early, and it was good enough for him as a restful sleep to follow a night of passionate lovemaking served well. He hummed as he took the phrase to mind and heart.

Lovemaking? Much better than mere sex, in layman's term of phrase.

Kim stirred as she felt and heard him, blinking sleep from her eyes and raising them to meet his, smiling wearily. "Good morning, Lord Fiske."

He chuckled and brought his hand to her chin and kissed her. "And to you, Mrs. Stoppable," he answered, receiving a playful slap on his chest.

"Is that a way to refer to your lady?"

"Well, what else can I call you - Lady _Fiske?_ " He stopped himself there. Now that he mentioned it, thinking of her as Lady Montgomery Fiske did not sound quite as bad. Perhaps one day...

She spoke as if reading his mind. "You know, I like the sound of that. Lady Kimberly." She stopped there, giggling like a nervous schoolgirl again. "That's a bit too much."

"Not quite," Monty replied smoothly. "It's you to a tee, as our peoples place it." He shifted his position so he was facing her full-front on his side, feeling like the shy boy he once was. "Kimberly, I am sincere on my word when I say it is you." He reached and took her hand into his. "You don't regret last night, do you?" Of course, he did not, but he had to make sure she did not, as well. And he saw no trace of doubt in the slightest. She shook her head, squeezing his hand in return.

"Never. I didn't regret that night before, and I don't now."

He leaned up and kissed her again. "Good."

Kim laid on her back and allowed him to crawl atop her, then wrapped her arms around him, caressing his back and shoulders. He sighed and melted into her warm skin. "So, calling me Lady Fiske - is that your way of...?" She trailed off, the unspoken finish obvious.

Monty thought about this for a moment. Of course, he would consider her to be his mate for life - his wife, his lady, and his Monkey Queen in all but name. But they had only just gotten back together, they had more time to come, yet their lives were always filled with danger as recent events and the past proved it. "Will you?" he asked, looking at her with his eyes and without moving his head. He half-expected a hesitation or a straight no, but then a finger came up to trace his lips, which he kissed the tip of.

"Yes," she whispered, "but right now, I want us to see how our relationship will go now. I'll marry you, but I want Sara to get adjusted to the fact she'll have a daddy again, too."

Oh...how could he forget? He fell silent and pondered this. He did want her to have a father again, and it had been two years since, so why should it wait any longer? But he would respect whatever decision she and her mother wanted. "If that is what you both wish," he said after a moment, and then some minutes of comfortable silence passed before the alarm startled them both, and she laughed as she reached to shut it off.

"I have to pick her up," she announced, sliding out of the bed and giving him a view of her shapely rear. He chuckled and found it difficult to not stare as she knelt down to pick up her sleeping garments. "You're not staying in bed all day."

Monty jumped from the bed and followed her. "Not at all. In fact...how does a shower together sound?" he asked slyly, following her. She threw him a devious look.

"As long as you don't keep me in that long! A mother has responsibilities."

So, they honored that promise of not cleaning up too long, but he was damned near tempted to take her then and there but restrained himself. Monty redressed in his clothes from last night, but he did bring his luggage with him that he left them with his monkey ninjas still pitching camp outside. Kim looked surprised when she learned this.

"How come you're not staying at the lodge?"

"It was not necessary as I felt it logical to be much...closer to the two most important women of my life," he answered, "unless you don't want me staying with you."

She shook her head quickly. "I want you to, but really...I got to get Sara first, and then we can talk about this," she said, leaning up to kiss his cheek before he let her go, but only so she could leave him at her house. She was doing this so to surprise her child who missed him greatly. He couldn't describe his own elation as he awaited to reunite with the little girl, hold her again...

It also gave him time to do the one last important thing to acquire the peace he fought long and forever for.

The urn was emerald green and carved with golden lotuses, and there was an arched space in the front to display the epitaph in bold gold font:

 **Ronald Stoppable**

 **Loving Brother, Son, Husband and Father**

 **1988-2014**

 **"He died as he lived, in his wife's arms"**

The words were barely audible to anyone other to himself, had there truly been others to bear witness. "That you did, Stoppable."

It was confirmed his widow kept the ashes in their bedroom, and she had them on display in the windowsill so she could look upon always, and this was Monty's chance. So, he knelt before the urn of his former enemy, the buffoon, on his knees and stretched his hands out before clasping them before himself, bowing his head briefly in prayer before he mustered the willpower to speak what he must. There was no more room for second thoughts, doubts, or anything even remotely vulgar.

But just how _exactly_ do you find the right words to make amends to a dead man who, in heaven, laid his loving hand to his wife to be happy again and be with the man who would now take care of her and their daughter? The choice of speech was already leaving the depths of Monty Fiske's soul as he looked upon the emerald urn, embossed with golden eternal flowers representing rebirth.

"Ronald...I know we may have been on different sides in the past, yet you have shown more potential than I could possibly accomplish. You have a beautiful wife and a lovely daughter, and I thank you and promise to take care of them both. I will never truly replace you, but their happiness and what it will give me in return is all that will matter."

He paused there, feeling the wash in his system that meant release. Release from the bonds of the past, but there was more, and this had to be important as it would have offended the pretender in another life, had Ronald known about this long before he and Yono were defeated by Han. "She has told you this, yes, but I must insist that I tell my part. I was the one to have her before you, long before you claimed her when I was gone, yet it was you to take her and give her the life she has now. I could not do that given our positions were reversed." He lowered his eyes to the floor before him. "I don't regret giving in to my needs and allowing Kimberly to have a taste of life with me, albeit short-lived as it was. What we had that one night was beyond what we could have imagined, even if I had been the wicked one to start it all, but it was all because of one thing: I never thought I would love a woman, when my father belittled me, but of course, you would never know at the time as she did not, either. But since I believe in heaven now, and now that I know you witnessed it all, you understand and have forgiven me for everything...for which I am grateful for. Alas, fighting over her heart is not the only trouble, as you must know.

"At first, I was beyond angry that you dared to have the power. I was supposed to be the one with it as I sacrificed all I had - my family fortune, my blood and sweat, as well as my own reputation - to obtain it...but you were the one more worthy as you proved nobler than I. Yet in the end, I realize great men have power thrust on them, and do not seek it themselves. A lesson I learned the hard way."

His hand, no longer a monkey's hand, came to place itself upon the lid of the urn, and cool fire seared his flesh, entering his nervous system, his blood and everything living, imagining this as the living hand he would have took as a handshake signifying peace made.

"I regret the pain I caused you and Kimberly, and all you love, so long ago. I wish I had more to say, but I have spoken enough to give us both the peace we deserve. I will go on living and take care of your family - and you shall rest in peace until we all meet again, Ron Stoppable."

~o~

"Really, you shouldn't be playing around with Jade and Ebony like that, and with dangerous equipment," Kim scolded her daughter who was in the back of the car, Rufus beside her and glancing worriedly back and forth between them. "What if you got acid burns and I will be the one to take you to the hospital? You really want to get yourself killed?!"

Her daughter looked like she was going to cry, making her feel a little guilty. But she had to get through to her. She could never deprive Sara of being with friends, but boundaries had to be placed if she did not want to be crippled, permanently scarred, or anything related. When she didn't speak, Kim exhaled and returned her attention to the road. "Sara Jessica Stoppable, from now on, I'm going to have a word with Aunt Shego and Uncle D, and make sure you three are kept anywhere other than their lab, for purely safety reasons. If I so much as learn that you broke the rule, then it's not karate for two weeks, and none in the backward. Understood?" she asked sternly, looking at her again in the rearview mirror and seeing her lower lip being bit and trying not to cry.

Sara nodded but couldn't speak. A part of her wanted to snap, but she restrained herself when her eyes met those of Rufus, who looked even more worried than before. She only hoped that when they were home and Sara saw the surprise waiting for them, it would amend things a little. She just hated to be hard sometimes.

Speaking of surprise, when she found herself thinking of Monty again, it brought her back to the fact he had - in his way - proposed to her, when they had just gotten back together. She really did say yes, because life taught her that just waiting for something to happen would never end well. She and Ron knew that when they were together, so that was also why he asked her to marry him right after college.

She had a good reason to wait a little longer, besides what she told him. She wanted to have Sara make sure he was the father for her, and Monty needed to learn more about being a husband and father - and that was why she intended to ask him to wait a couple months at least before asking her again. It might hurt him, but he would understand. It wasn't the answer no.

When they finally got home, she opened the door and let all three of them in to the sight that made her daughter scream and run towards. "MONTY!"

He dropped to his knees and outstretched his arms to receive her, grunting when she smothered him with her love and her tears. "I've missed you, too, little one," he murmured, closing his eyes for a few moments before opening them again and looking up at Kim with a slight smile.

"Not as much as I've missed you!" She pulled back to kiss him on the cheek, making him laugh. The monkey ninjas made their appearance and ooked wildly as they met up with their little friend, who squealed and was immediately surrounded by them. Rufus cheered and jumped up and down on Kim's shoulder before jumping down and joining them - and left the couple alone with each other even though it was not _that_ kind of privacy.

"So, where were we?" Monty asked. "You never answered me whether you still want me to stay."

"I want you to," she answered, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him close. "For the both of us. But..." She hesitated as this part she dreaded the most. His raised eyebrow urged her on. "Give me three months and ask me to marry you again."

She searched his face, trying to find any source that his heart was broken, but she saw nothing of the sort except a short nod, and how his eyes seemed to glaze over because there was hope yet. She pressed her lips briefly against his, and then Sara's voice broke it off.

"You're staying, Monty?" she asked, coming up to them both and hugging his legs, pleading. "Please stay with us. I've missed you, and so has Mommy." Her lower lip pouted that he could not refuse her. Chuckling, Monty knelt down and scooped her into his arms.

"I promise, I won't leave you both again," he swore, accepting another kiss from her before turning back to her mother and taking her into his free arm, keeping them both close to his being. Behind them, the monkeys and Rufus screeched for the family rejoined - a new family brought together by love, loss and renewal.

And so three months later, Monty asked Kim to be his wife again...and she answered him confidently with a yes and then a sweep off her feet, as soon as Sara, Rufus and the monkeys were laid down for the night, before taking her up to their bedroom and celebrating with making love into the late hours.

~o~

 _1 year later..._

A wedding in the middle of summer, and on a beach in Taiwan of all places? Where the sands ranged from gold to pure white, sparkling and rich? It was beyond Lord Monty Fiske's definition of perfect for himself and his bride.

Baishawan Beach - translated to mean "white sand" and certainly lived up to its name. A thousand-meter-long white shores accompanied by clear turquoise sea, it was amongst the most popular attractions of northern Taiwan. It was without a cloud in the sky on this day, with a mild breeze, and set in an isolated part of the beach that was seldom occupied at anytime.

He was standing in his hotel room, examining himself in the mirror in the early afternoon. The collared shirt was white and crisp, unbuttoned down by three and left out of the confides of a belt for a carefree breeze, and the pants themselves were khakis. He was not wearing any shoes for the beach; it was not only because of that, but because he loved to go barefoot even if he no longer had...

Monty stopped the thought there. In over a year, so much in his life had taken a turn for the better. Though some old habits were hard to let go, he adapted fairly quickly but kept to some old ways as they remained part of himself. He smiled as he fixed his own hair, grooming it to one side because he could not appear in front of their guests as a wild man - not any longer, at least, except between them and Sara, who was going to be his new daughter.

He inhaled and sighed. Daughter...who ever thought it would come to this? Today he would become a married man, and he never thought he would. Nor did he ever think that his choice of woman would have a wonderful child who raptured his heart with her love of monkeys.

The monkey ninjas were his wedding party, Chippy and his fellow males wearing little bowties as to not offend them by forcing them to wear formal tuxedos, which he himself was beyond relieved not to. Formal affairs were never his forte despite growing up in them. This might be Kimberly's second marriage, and his first, but he did not want to garb himself in something that was traditional and boring. And as for Lili, baby Katara and the other female monkeys, they wore these lovely handmade seashell necklaces tied together with bamboo sticks. They helped him get ready today, still beside him even though he was no longer the Monkey Master...except in his heart.

And there was one more.

"Milord -" Bates cleared his throat when he was given the raised eyebrow. "I mean, Monty. Pardon me. I really do not know how to describe what I am seeing right now."

He chuckled. "Really, there is not much to say, is there?" he asked, reaching down to pick up the red rose and orange orchid arrangement to place over the left side of his chest, fastening it through the semi-transparent cotton.

"Other than the fact I am very proud of you, as I can never say it enough," the man who raised him answered, stepping beside him and offering him a small black box which obviously had what he waited long enough to exchange between Kim and himself. "And if I may say, your mother would be proud of you today - as your father should be."

Taking the box, Monty opened it and beheld the two rings. One was a rich thick band of engraved gold resembling the finest brandy, sliding around his finger just for one test before it would officially be placed by his bride - and it was the strangest sensation he ever felt, if not terribly so. He closed his eyes, relishing the moment it would mark him as hers forever.

Oh, the other...nothing that you would see every day, for its golden surface was etched with a wild rose and leaves, centered with a diamond, for his mother had truly been an English rose. She would have loved Kim if she had lived his entire life, but would he really have met his beloved if things had turned out differently for him? He would never have found the jade monkeys, never would have called for her...and nothing would have led up to today. Fate had a strange sense of humor.

Not long after he and Kim became engaged, he made the life-altering decision to sell off his castle, to make it a landmark location for the museum and tourists. At first, it had been a risky, perhaps shaky decision, given he'd been born within its walls and lived his entire life, and it had been in his family for centuries. He never thought he would even consider putting it up on the market after all - but he did it for his future wife and daughter. He would not use "stepdaughter" even though Sara wasn't truly his, but he was marrying her mother, and he loved them both equally. He proved it by moving into their home after signing the papers to sell off the Fiske estate in England; he was willing to trade anything he had just for them.

Bates was the one to drive the rental vehicle for all of them, and the groom himself wanted to sit in the front just to feel the wind in his hair at the cost of disheveling it before the ceremony. It made Bates chuckle. "Monty, you really do not care about appearances any longer."

"Not at all; only that nothing feels better than the wind in your hair on your wedding day," Monty answered with a smile stretching his face from ear to ear, the music playing relaxing him and calming any worries he would have. However, he wondered about how his bride was doing as she would come later than he.

~o~

"One more time: what are you going to say when Mommy walks down the aisle?" she asked, kneeling before her daughter who was in a mini version of her dress, and frosty white flowers crowned light blonde hair. Sara was just so pretty today that her mother thought she might steal her show, and it made her laugh.

Sara bowed her whole body forward. "The bride is coming," she answered, earning a brief clap.

"Yes, 'the bride is coming'!"

The first time she had planned her wedding, it had been a lot of stress as she and Ron could not decide a location to be exact, and eventually the mountains of Middleton Lodge hit home. This time, it was a little easier as there really wasn't much fuss to make. Monty had been willing to put the bill on the wedding for them both, but after selling off much of his property in England over the last year, she didn't want to trouble him, and let Wade help them both out as he was still so good at doing - and she did her share of it, though not everything was from her own wallet.

This woman was altered from the first time, besides the hair being shorter if slowly growing back to her old length. The dress remained a fitted mermaid flare, but it was also strapless, sleek white satin without any embellishment, save for the belt which was encrusted immensely with pearls and crystals matching the rest of the jewelry to follow.

Kim found herself looking down at the marvelous display on the dresser now, remembering the day when Bates gave these to her for today. "These belonged to Lady Catherine Fiske herself," he'd said, and it was what made all the difference. To wear the wedding jewels that had been Monty's mother's meant more than anything. The headband was delicate and set with freshwater pearls and crystals, forming blossoms, complete with a matching bracelet. The earrings were dramatic and romantic with blushing roses dripping with diamonds. And the necklace had eleven, maybe twelve seed freshwater pearls, nearly close to her throat.

So, all her bridesmaids and maid of honor Monique were here, but this time their dresses were loose, airy ruby chiffon with V-necklines and backs. They thought she would never get married again as she never thought she would, and they were all happy for her. In fact, they were all really having fun teasing her about her second husband, whose mannerisms were debonair and his features ruggedly handsome. "You girls really should get one of your own then, instead of the ones you have already," Kim joked as she passed them their bouquets - red roses and orange orchids to go with the flowers at the ceremony waiting for them. Her betrothed must have already gone there with his strange little party - Bates and the monkey ninjas out of their garb. There might end up being some monkey business at the reception party, which she looked forward to...but first came the most important aspect of the start of the rest of their lives together.

"So, girl, your man has a title, which makes you a lady," Monique pointed out as they all got to the car waiting for them. "Lady Kimberly - has a nice ring to it!"

"Makes me a little jealous," Jessica added.

Kim laughed and waved her hand. "But you are all happy for me, right?" Her answer was a collective "yes!" Sara squealed and moved closer to her mother, hugging her around the waist, and the mother returned it with one arm.

When Monty surprised her - or rather, shocked her - with the news he was selling his ancestral castle and relocating here to Middleton just to be with her and Sara, she had been at a loss for words until all she could say was, "You shouldn't do that! That's your home, and it's been in your family for generations!" Maybe she was too disbelieved to really be excited for him, for he only smiled and took her into his arms before kissing her.

"I know, but there are too many memories," he'd said, "and I have all I ever need right here - and over there." He'd nodded in the direction of Sara, Rufus and the monkeys, their extended little family. "This is more to me than all the money can give me in lifetimes."

Everything was so idyllic and tranquil. Getting married on a beach hadn't been Ron's best idea in the beginning because tropical locations meant beating suns and sweat, but not today. It was beautiful and mild, breezy if not dangerously - and it was a good day to not feel sick as she had been lately. Let's just hope it didn't get in the way of the party to follow...

...and that also meant she had to tell Monty soon.

Palm trees surrounded them mostly, and crystalline beach stretched for yards, and the ocean behind was a vivid turquoise turning to royal and then dark indigo as it expanded. As for the designated ceremony space in the clearing, a mahogany Japanese _torii_ stood before the great collection of guests - her family and friends, Ron's parents and Hana, Drakken's family, colleagues including Dr. Robertson, Bates' son and his family, Yori and a handful of her students, some Xian followers, and Lady Amaterasu herself officiating the ceremony - and was draped with billowing white fabrics as well as white lanterns painted with cherry blossoms. Said flowers as well as bamboo trees were planted in black square vases surrounding them all, pink petals strewn down the aisle she would walk, so the outside world was shielded save for behind the altar which showed the ocean and shore. Red roses and orange orchids accented with ferns in more black square vases - two of them - were planted on either side of the _torii_ for an exotic addition.

When she took in the sights of her guests, she also spotted a few of her retired former enemies who had come to witness and celebrate her new marriage. Duff Killigan was there, and so was Motor Ed and the Seniors - oh, and let's not forget DNAmy herself, and she wasn't causing trouble, it turned out. Who'd have thought that him announcing his engagement to Kim Stoppable would have snapped her to reality? With that out of the way, Kim could not have been happier that she and the man who crossed the ocean to be with her were getting married.

Drums and flutes filled the air, accompanied by wordless chanting as the bride began her walk down the petal-covered, sandy aisle, and barefoot as her groom waiting for her. She could not tear her eyes away from Monty who stood there at the _torii_ with Lady Amaterasu, his white shirt buttoned down to show his marvelous skin - if not everything - and very carefree and happy. His jaw slackened at the sight of her before he pulled it back closed and settled on a smile betraying his attempts to hold back the tears.

He could not take his gaze off of her, either, as she took her place before him, after kissing her father and then leaning down to do the same to Sara, her little flower girl, and the monkeys ooked at the sight of her. All eyes on her made her feel special today - and even more because of the man in front of her who was having more of a hard time controlling himself.

~o~

He did not think his heart would beat a thousand times more than it had ever done so before...and it was because of his beautiful new bride in front of him in her simple but stunning dress, and wearing his mother's jewels. He thought he was going to crumble with pride right then and there before Lady Amaterasu even began her sermon with a hand raised for silence.

"With the sun giving her blessing on this day, we gather to bear witness to unite these two brave hearts and souls for eternity to come. So fiercely do they beat as one that none can ever risk parting them into two without enduring destruction brought upon themselves. The path to becoming one is fraught with peril and obstacles, but never do they end what has bonded these two hearts forevermore to come - they only face more challenges to come, standing side-by-side against all those who dare to oppose," she said strongly, looking to the heavens above for emphasis, then turned her attention back to the guests bearing witness to this powerful moment that Monty saw from the corner of his eye that so many of them, even the strongest of souls, threatened to weaken at the knees.

"To this very day, no one can ever tear apart a beating heart without killing both halves ultimately, for the sake of acquiring one half back to where it is believed to belong," Amaterasu stated, almost as if to warn those who thought to oppose his marriage to this wonderful vixen in front of him; he saw it in her eyes, too, but she was as sure as he was that no one would object. He and her father, for example, had gotten along quite well; to be called son-in-law was a tad strange given both men were nearly the same age. That was one down who would not object. His wife the same, and the obnoxious twins whom his beloved still called the "tweebs", which made him laugh.

He could go on forever with the rest out there - but one definitely stood out, as difficult as it was to not have his attention on _her_. Oh, he would not say her name, that dreadful nightmare in pink - but since he was with Kim, she hadn't bothered him or even tried to tear them apart. Perhaps with Amaterasu's sermon, she wouldn't open her mouth, but oh, the slim chances...

"If there are those who object that these two shall not be wed, speak now or forever hold your peace."

He held his breath and waited, keeping his eyes locked on Kim's, keeping his smile in place because he hoped it would be enough to show those like Amy herself that he loved Kim more than anything; she did the same keeping her smile in place, as well as allowing one tear to slip down her cheek, and he reached to wipe it away with his thumb, earning a few sighs from some in the crowd.

An eternity passed as it soon became clear that the ceremony had to proceed, much to their relief.

"Very well," Lady Amaterasu said, satisfied as the couple, before turning her attention to him on her left side, addressing him not formally by his title, but as a man about to be bound for eternity to the woman he loved. "Montgomery Edward Fiske, does your heart beat only for this woman?"

"Yes," he answered without a pause, the smile shared between his bride and himself never faltering. Kim's eyes shone like emeralds in the sunlight.

"And do you swear to stand with her against your enemies, for better or worse, until death parts you?"

"I swear."

"And do you have your own vows from the heart?" she asked, a faint smile gracing her ethereal face. This was what he had waited to come to - and he had to confess that for his confidence, he dreaded stammering in front of her family and friends, as well as a handful of his own in the crowd...but when the first word slipped from his lips, the rest followed smooth as a spa rock in his palm.

"Kimberly, there are very few words to describe this feeling I have always borne for you, and I can never help but find myself blessed to be by your side, and to have you at my side for the rest of our lives." He felt his palms becoming sweaty just by holding hers, his body threatening to wrack uncontrollably. "I swear to always be yours, to forever be there for you, and for Sara, and to help you fight whatever threatens our lives and this world we live in."

He felt the burning streak down his cheek, and knew immediately he couldn't keep it in any longer. Just as he had done for her, she reached and wiped his tear from his face, before being addressed by the lady herself. "Kimberly Ann Stoppable, does your heart beat only for this man?" Amaterasu asked kindly.

"Yes," Kim breathed.

"And do you swear to stand with him against your enemies, for better or worse, until death parts you?"

"I swear."

"And do you have your own vows from the heart?"

Apparently she had been more impatient than he. "Monty, I feel that every moment with you, you make my life brighter and exciting by having you with me, and I can't help but be thankful that you are with me. I vow to be yours as you are mine." She had moved an inch, wishing she could kiss him now, and now that he realized it, he longed for the time to come, but not now.

Chippy ooked as he came up and handed Monty the box of the rings, his heart thumping as he opened it and took them both out, giving Kim the thick one that had once been his father's - and now his. "With this ring, I thee wed," she said softly, sliding it onto his digit without trouble, and as soon as the feeling settled in, he sighed with exhilaration as his vein began to thrum and spread throughout his entire body with the realization that going back would be impossible. Not that he had the desire to.

"With this ring..." To see this rose band around hers made him almost burst from a great dam as this was it. "...I thee wed," Monty finished hoarsely, smiling, and Lady Amaterasu was proud to draw to the best part that was the final seal.

"Then let all present here today know that this man and this woman...are married."

Finally! Without waiting, Monty scooped his bride into his arms and dipped so he was over her, giving her a kiss that drew more cries of excitement than applause with the hands. "My beloved," he murmured when he pulled apart but continued to hold her as he did, "now you are mine forever."

"All yours," she answered breathlessly. He brought her back to standing position, but not for long, and scooped her into his arms, carrying her down the aisle so they could get ready for the reception coming up. The sun would set by the time dinner and the party would begin, but it was only the beginning of the rest of their lives.

~o~

"Oh, God!" By the time she was alone in her room with her bridesmaids and Sara as well as Rufus, they were all cheering for her. She was not just a new Mrs. - she was _Lady_ Kimberly _Fiske_ now, and that definitely was her to a tee now, if not the way any younger woman would have imagined, like being lavished upon, and that wasn't what she ever wanted for herself. Everything was perfect the way it was.

"Mommy!" Sara enveloped her legs with a hug. "I'm happy for you! I'm happy I got a daddy now!" Laughing, Kim scooped her into a hug.

"Ready to have a baby brother or sister one day?" she asked when they broke apart, and she looked up at the rest of her bridal party who gasped when they saw her place her hand on her stomach where she _knew_ the source of her recent illnesses before today had come from.

Tara was the first to blurt. "You're going to tell him, aren't you?"

"Yeah, but I don't know how to break it to him," Kim answered, looking down at her daughter's wide gaze, excited that she was going to be a big sister - but it was also her new daddy's reaction needed the most. She knew today was the day, and it would be the best wedding gift Monty would ever receive.

 _Lady Fiske..._

She could not stop thinking about her new name and title. Monty might have traded so much of his property to be with his new family here in Middleton, but he still had his royal title and enough left. After finishing getting ready, she took one more look at herself in the mirror and smiled. The reception dress was short, still satin and strapless, but with beading at the neckline. He was definitely going to want to pick her up and take her to bed a little earlier tonight...

When she finally went outside, there he was standing and waiting for her. His jaw dropped once more at the sight of her before he infamously pulled himself together and chuckled, taking both her hands into his. "My love, aren't you exquisite?" he purred as he leaned down to kiss her, then leaned to whisper into her ear. "You've really outdone yourself in making me want to sneak us away right now..."

She giggled and pulled away slightly, reminding him that Sara and the bridesmaids were still here. Behind him, Bates and the monkeys were all ready to get going to the party. "My lady, allow me the honors." He didn't need to finish what he meant as he carried out the actions, scooping her into his arms again and carrying her all the way back to the beach where the reception was arranged.

"My lord," she told him, laughing as they led the way with their bridal party in tow, but they were the first to arrive and make the scene before bride and groom appeared in time for their first dance as husband and wife.

Who could have picked a more better song than the one playing for them?

 _'Cause you'll be in my heart_

 _Yes, you'll be in my heart_

 _From this day on_

 _Now and forevermore_

 _You'll be in my heart_

 _No matter what they say_

 _You'll be in my heart, always_

She let a few tears come as she found herself looking into her husband's sharp, loving blue gaze, and accepted a tender kiss from him with all eyes on them, the setting sun kissing them and the white lanterns matching those at the ceremony hanging over the area, even the palm trees; as well, a few bonfires were lit.

 _Why can't they understand the way we feel?_

 _They just don't trust what they can't explain_

 _I know we're different, but deep inside us_

 _We're not that different at all_

Yeah, they were so different but so alike at the same time, from start to now. She never thought she would find love again after losing Ron, but she had. She'd been afraid to love Monty Fiske because of their differences and their past hostilities.

 _Don't listen to them_

 _'Cause what do they know?_

 _We need each other, to have and to hold_

 _They'll see in time, I know_

 _When destiny calls you, you must be strong_

 _I may not be with you_

 _But you've got to hold on_

 _They'll see in time, I know_

 _We'll show them together_

"Yes, you'll be in my heart," Monty murmured by the time the dance was over, the glow between them brighter than before. A long road, so many years of trials, and now they were spending the rest of their lives together. Kim was still crying by the time they were led from the dancefloor and to their designated sweetheart table, which was private but still in sight. It was a beautiful cabana draped with white curtains, surrounded with lit candles and strewn rose petals in the sand, as well as more bamboo. Beside them was their cake, which was white and four-tiered, each end wrapped with green ribbon and decorated with frosting pink cherry blossoms, and the real flowers at the top were red roses and orange orchids, surrounding the "F" for Fiske fashioned nearly like a _torii_. Perfect? You bet it was.

Kim took a look at the reception area itself now, even though she'd made sure everything was as it should be before the day began. The tablecloths were lush red with golden ornaments. The centerpieces were two different kinds: one had glass vases filled with orange orchids, while the flowers atop were the same florals mixed with red roses; the other centerpiece was a candelabra of the same arrangements.

"How does it feel to be a married man?" she asked, grinning at her new husband. He bared his teeth back at her and reached to cup her cheek, bringing her over for another kiss.

"A feeling I never thought I would savor," he answered. "I'm happier than I can recall."

Kim swallowed. Maybe now was a good time, because her stomach was flip-flopping like crazy. "Would you still be happy if I gave you another...wedding present?"

Monty raised both eyebrows. "Oh?" Without saying the words directly, she took his hand, spotting the ring around his finger that had been his father's and smiled at it, bringing it to her stomach, startling him immediately. "Oh, Kimberly!"

"Yep, I'm having your child."

He bowed his head, the slipping tear evident. "My love...a baby. It's wonderful!" He laughed and sobbed at the same time he leaned forward and swept her up for another lip lock and in time for dinner to begin. They had to make the announcement eventually, and they both knew it. She could not believe it: they were married, and a new baby on the way already after being together for over a year.

~o~

His new wife was pregnant with their first child together.

Monty had been overwhelmed when Lady Amaterasu blessed them as man and wife, and he felt like he was a young man over the moon again - but just when there couldn't be anymore surprises... "A baby," he repeated, breaking the kiss and looking down to where his hand was still over where their child was slowly growing, a result of their passionate couplings. It had been a few weeks since last time, and he'd wondered why she had been so ill as of late.

He leaned against her, weeping inside and listening to her steady heartbeat, his palm heating simply from touching her abdomen. Unfortunately, he had to break it off just as dinner was beginning for everyone. The options were between steak and lobster as well as salmon, shrimp and asparagus...but he confessed that his appetite wasn't agreeing with him as was the need to give another gift for his beautiful bride beside him and their new offspring.

The new Lord and Lady Fiske were truly enjoying their privacy in this spot whilst still in range of their guests who clearly saw how happy and very much in love they were with each other. He occasionally found himself looking back at Kimberly's still-flat abdomen, now wondering about the new addition to their family. No worries as to how he would treat this child once it came into the world, because there was one thing for certain: he was NOT his father.

"I'm not my father."

The words had slipped from his lips by accident that they caught Kim's attention. "What was that?"

"I said I am not my father," Monty answered readily, turning to look back at her. "I'm going to love this child as much as I love you and Sara."

She reeled back, surprised but not offended. "Monty," she exclaimed, taking his hand back into hers, "why would you think that you won't love this baby? Are you afraid of losing me like you lost your..." She trailed off there, both of them knowing who she was talking about. He lowered his eyes. He hadn't even thought about his mother in this regards, but now that she asked -

"No, but I am swearing this to you now, strange as it sounds. But rest assured, I have never been more sincere in my life." He brought her hand to his lips and pressed a lingering kiss to the back.

It was also then that by the time dinner was over, he left her at their table and made his way to the dancefloor, accompanied by a handful of the monkeys, given the microphone and let his heart open so the song escaped his being for his Kimberly.

 _"Now Carolina Rua has my heart, and all I want to do is go down the winding road, where my Carolina goes. Down the crooked road where Carolina goes to. Mo Carolina Rua, do you love me? Tell me true, Carolina ooh oh ooh oh..."_

This was one of the few ancient Celtic love songs that he'd known since younger days, and Bates' late wife Honor had used to sing it to him when he was a boy being tucked into bed; never did he ever think he would do this for the woman he was going to grow old and die with. The flood left his eyes with each word, each second to pass - and when it was over, he wiped his eyes and exhaled in relief. He would be lying if he said he wasn't singing in front of a vast group of people again. His monkeys screeched and cheered for him.

For the duration of the song, couples from Kimberly's parents to the Stoppables, Drakken and Shego, and so on got up to dance to the song - and then Kim came to be beside him, and he wrapped his arm around her to keep her close. "I never heard you sing before," she whispered to him that only he heard over the music, and he only smiled at her before singing more.

 _"Mo Carolina Rua has my heart, and all I want to do is go down the winding road, where my Carolina goes. Down the crooked road where Carolina goes to. Mo Carolina Rua, do you love me? Tell me true, Carolina ooh oh ooh oh..."_

It was by the time the song ended that he did get the answer, and a passionate kiss and embrace in front of the ones who stopped dancing to cheer for them. It was also at this time that Kim made the announcement that earned even bigger applause...and even tears.

"Everyone, Monty and I have the most wonderful news to announce to you all tonight: we're having a baby!"

He did not remember ever having such spectacular fun in a night, in four decades of life. But while it was wild and yet refined for good behavior, he savored claiming Kim as his wife as well as learning they were having their first child _together_ were the two best things he could have ever wanted. When it came to the bouquet toss, it had been Shego to catch it. Monty was amused as she tried to fight a couple of women from Kim's cheer squad days to acquire it.

However, on his part when he had to reach up under his wife's skirt to get the _garter_ , he flushed and thought he would die from the overload, but this was traditional. Turning his back to Bates and the rest of the men gathered - and the monkeys were included - he could just imagine poor Bates' face when he caught the garter...but when Monty turned around, he recognized _Frederick_ who had snatched it! A part of him was elated to see the chimp astronaut of Dr. Possible's from so many years ago, surprised that he was still even alive, and he doubled over laughing with everyone else. And apparently, Frederick proved a match to his monkey ninjas who also fought for the bride's garter. Monty turned behind him to see Kim squealing with laughter and leaning forward to hide her blushing face.

Oh, he would have her blushing later tonight when they were alone in their hotel room together - his, to be precise, where they would have no interruptions. Husband and wife, their wedding night...he looked forward to it because now she was his, and he was hers.

The party lasted into the late hours of the night, and by the time it ended, he was exhausted to his bones, and so was Kim. But that did not stop what they eagerly anticipated, and he carried her one more time through the threshold and into their room, first having a rose-and-citrus bath before collapsing into bed and giving into their love until morning broke.

By the time morning came, it was time to jet for their honeymoon.

"Oh, my darling!" Monty exclaimed when she dressed herself in a sweet dress of off-shoulder eyelit lace. He was tempted for another round, but there was no time. They would have plenty of that in southern Asia. But when they got home, they would lay off each other for the sake of their child. Monty had little experience with making love during pregnancy, but all he knew was that his parents never did that while his mother was with child, according to Bates.

They said good-bye to everyone before getting onto the helicopter that was sent in by Kim's genius friend. Her parents both kissed her and were beyond excited that another grandchild was coming into the picture, followed by Ronald's parents' parts. Monty knelt before his loyal monkey minions to accept their bids of luck on the first couple weeks of his life as a married man and new father - and even allowed them to embrace him as they were truly his family and not just lackeys anymore. Then he stood and turned his attention to Bates, the man who was always there for him even when they parted ways.

"It's not every day you find a woman rare as a blossom that blooms late, Monty."

"Not at all," he agreed, then leaned down and embraced his former valet.

"Bye, Mommy...Daddy," Sara was telling them when she was saved for last, and Monty melted inside. "And bye, my baby sister."

Kim laughed and put a hand on her stomach. "Might be a baby brother," she joked, then turned to look at him. "Mom and Dad had that joke when she was pregnant with the dweebs." He laughed and shook his head; maybe it might become a family curse and twins would come this time for them, but he said nothing.

"Good-bye for now, little angel," he said to Sara, his new daughter, and kissed her forehead. "Your mother and I will be back before you know it."

They took one last look at their tearful friends and family as they climbed into the helicopter and strapped in before taking off into the air. He leaned back and exhaled, imagining the adventure awaiting them where they were heading for two weeks - just the two of them.

"How does it feel to be heading back to Cambodia?"

Monty chuckled and held his bride close to him, inhaling the exquisite island aroma in her skin and hair. "Ah, the good times - and the day when we first crossed paths. Not exactly idyllic to follow...but it was the happiest day of my life, Kimberly."

"No regrets yet?" she asked with a giggle, like the young girl she used to be.

He hummed and kissed the top of her head. "None right now. I put all of the past behind me, and I'm more concerned with you and the present, but no worries about the future." Indeed, an uncertain future was the last thing on the agenda, and she knew it.

Two weeks in Cambodia, the very place that started it all for them...and this time for their first blissful days as husband and wife.

"Remember you wanted me as your Monkey Queen?" Kim asked suddenly, taking him by surprise altogether. He'd have assumed this wouldn't be brought up again, not that he didn't want it to be, but he never expected to be reminded again. Clearing his throat, he answered.

"Of course. Why do you ask?"

"You might not have gotten that wish, but I think this is enough for us both, don't you think? I married the most wonderful man I've ever met - the strongest fighter I will gladly call my partner - and I'm proud to be called your wife," she said proudly, holding onto him and leaning against his shoulder. "For that, you're my Monkey King, Monty, and that is more than enough for me."

For once, he was at a loss for words - but once they settled in, he realized how true they were. He never got to be the Ultimate Monkey Master, yet here he was with the rarest, God-given woman he ever wanted - Kim Possible...Kim Stoppable...and now Kim _Fiske._ His soul mate, his lady, his equal, his beloved...his _queen._ And the mother of his child - or children, one who wasn't directly his, but whom he loved as deeply. He leaned down and planted a far-from-innocent kiss upon her lips, his tongue meeting with hers and drawing a moan from her, and ended it to breathe seductively and lovingly to her.

"My Monkey Queen."

 **Taiwanese beach was perfect. :D As quoted, golden sands and white, crystalline - and of course, black. The waters are as clear as those of Hawaii, Bora Bora, and any other tropical paradise. And the beach where they tie the knot is an actual popular resort in Taiwan (one of many).**

 **The song playing as Monty was on his way to the ceremony site was "Beautiful Japanese Music - Zen Garden" composed by none other than Derek Fiechter himself. In addition, when it came to the mystical ceremony itself, I was inspired by the Klingon wedding of Jadzia Dax and Worf in DS9 season 6's seventh ep, "You Are Cordially Invited"; it's just one of my favorite moments ever. :D**

 **"Carolina Rua" is a beautiful, romantic, traditional Celtic song, and the version by Celtic Thunder was the one you just heard Monty sing for his pregnant bride. :') Brings a tear to my eye.**

 **So, yes, this story has come to an end. But I'm not quite finished with this arc as I have a few oneshots and shorts for it coming up. I am so deeply proud of this and have no regrets at all. Reviews a thousand percent appreciated. :D**


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